Music Reviews

Josh Todd -wt You Made Me -wl Todd Entertainment/XSRecords/Navarre -wf When heavy metal bible Kerrang! gave Buckcherry’s self-titled debut a glowing five-K review, it seemed it was only just the start of things to come for the no-frills LA rockers fronted by Josh Todd. Yet within two years, the party was over for the band. You Made Me is Todd’s return to the music scene after a brief, ill-fated collaboration with former Guns n’ Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan. -wm This album shares Buckcherry’s explosive, in-your-face rock sound, but has a more contemporary edge. The spiky first single, “Shine,” perfectly demonstrates the raw, full-on approach adopted by Todd, his band of mainly unknown musicians and producer Chris Johnson (Evanescence, Masters of Reality). It’s a relatively uncommon sound in today’s modern rock scene. Tracks like the breathless opener “Mind Infection,” the bruising “Straight Jacket” and the blistering “Broken” provide a welcome alternative for anyone bored with the surfeit of formulaic modern rock bands currently clogging the airwaves. -wm Todd is one of the few true rock stars around right now. His attitude is almost as big as his voice, and it’s to be hoped that You Made Me can carry on where Buckcherry left off. -wd Josh Todd: http://www.joshtodd.com/ -wb Andrew Ellis


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