Reviews > CDs

The London Souls: The London Souls

Soul On 10

The band members are from New York, but it’s not a coincidence that the group’s name includes the word “London” or that famed U.K. producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne) invited them out to Abbey Road Studios to record their self-titled debut. A classic power trio— clearly modeled after the golden-greats of Brit rock: Cream, The Who, Zeppelin, etc— The London Souls also posses elements of Motown soul, ska, sleazy Detroit rock, acoustic country, heavy metal, psychedelic boogie-blues and a whole lot of Beatles-esque song structure. There’s also a sexuality that hums through every amp and burning vocal. Raw, stripped of the fat and crackling with tension, the mostly first takes recordings allow the muscle of the band’s revered live shows to come through. The London Souls aren’t doing anything particularly new, but as these young twentysomethings wrestle with what’s come before them, they blow past retro to create vibrant, current and, even, necessary music.