The Bad Flowers Starting Gun cd review

Midlands based hard rock band, The Bad Flowers, are set to release their debut studio album Starting Gun on Friday 16th February 2018. The album is a follow up to 2016’s self-titled EP and the band who comprise of lead vocalist and guitarist, Tom Leighton, bassist, Dale Tonks and and Karl Selickis on drums have produced a cd of 42 minutes that is 11 songs of hard hitting raw classic hard rock full of heavy riffs,thunderous drums and a groove that a million band's would die for.

Straight out of the block's with the first single Thunder Child and one to grab the listener by the scruff of the neck and not let go.After a couple of hi hat beats a huge rollicking riff and bass line crash in with Karl's drum pattern driving the band on and sounding with Tom's excellent bluesy voice like the much missed Kodiak Jack on steroids.Bound to be a live favourite.

Lions Blood sees another heavy rocker with bass and drums at the forefront and shows the telepathic nature of Dale and Karl as they feed off each other but never out doing each other.A mid song breakdown gives Tom a chance for some add lib guitar soloing before the bass and drums ratchet it all up again with Tom now soloing behind the chorus.Another one for the live show.

Secrets has a insistent chorus riff that dips out during the verse for Tom to add guitar melodies and it then all builds back up to the chorus.The mid song guitar solo sees a full on band work out underneath.

Rich Man has a fuzzy stop start guitar riff with a slight slowing in pace with the verse built on a great chorus. I love how in the verse how the drums and guitar show some real dynamics built on my beloved light and shade giving it a heavier feel as it crashes in.

I Hope is a bluesy acoustic number giving a chance for Tom to show off his vocal range and tone and the following track Let's Misbehave starts on Tom's vocal and acoustic before it kicks in at the chorus then back down for the verse.It is a perfect follow up on the cd to I Hope and shows that there are many facets to the band with the superb lengthy guitar solo from Tom an album highlight.I would release this a single to show that there are 2 sides to the band and one that i am sure will be explored over their career.Superb.






















L-R: Karl Selickis (Drums), Tom Leighton (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Dale Tonks (Bass)

Photo Credit: © Mark Varney

Who Needs A Soul sees the rock back in with a huge guitar riff and the rhythm team on top form.The stop start guitar riff gives a chance for Dale's great bass work to be heard and the top notch production to the fore.The cd was recorded at Vigo Studios, near the band’s hometown of Cannock. The band chose this studio because they wanted to make a record that sounded like their roots and had the chance to work with long-time friend of the band and producer Adam Beddow, who has recently helped produce Diamond Head’s most current work.


Be Your Man sees Tom strutting through a number with distinct 70's feel to the main guitar riff and groove.The mid song guitar solo again shows cases the band's sense of dynamics and band interplay which for a debut album is amazing.

Hurricane is a mid tempo stomper with for me a bit of a The Cult influence in Tom's vocal and the song groove.

I Don't Believe It sees more stop start band dynamics that build up to the chorus before City Lights ends the cd on a high.A slight fuzzy feel to the first guitar riff before it dips into an insistent riff and onto one of the best choruses on the cd with Tom aided by some great backing vocals.Tom's frantic bluesy guitar solo segues back into the chorus and the fuzzy guitar riff sees out the track.

The Bad Flowers with Starting Gun have produced a debut album to be proud of and their career starts here and you need to get on board.


The Bad Flowers’ debut album “Starting Gun” is released on Friday 16th February.

They tour the UK with Stone Broken and Jared James Nichols from Thursday 22nd February. www.thebadflowers.uk