Kitchen Witch

Kitchen Witch’s debut EP Trouble opens with its self-titled track. The band encapsulates their sound instantly with the blues driven lead riff, hearty vocals and down beat centric drumming. The guitar sound is full of life while the solo adds a neat bow to the package of a strong EP opener. The following track don’t waste your time sounds eerily similar to The Love Junkies’ ‘Black Sheep Blues‘. The jangling guitar sound is sung over effortlessly, breaking down into a chorus with group backings. Something Kitchen Witch are great at achieving is taking a country element, which is a turn off for so many, and infusing it into their rock and roll in a way that even someone who sternly opts out of country (yours truly) can really get into. A neat fuzz drenched breakdown rounds out the song in head turning fashion. Similarities can surely be drawn between Kitchen Witch and Australian legends The Snowdroppers. Third track ‘O Lord’ is a charged interlude, with gospel like vocals and naught but a stomp and a clap to keep the beat Georgie Cosson raises the roof, as her talent is able to shine through effortlessly. Fourth track ‘Out of Your Head’ makes fun of being a saucy slower paced jam, though not without some great riffing midway. It’s full of soul and excellent execution. As a mild gripe it would be great if the bass were a touch more audible in the mix. Album closer ‘Just For One Day’ has all the oomph of a Black Keys number, highlighting the most shining strength of Kitchen Witch; they have carved a uniquely recognisable sound for themselves. Trouble is a great debut, especially for fans of blues and rock music. It will be great to see how the band can up the ante on their full length. - Music SA

KITCHEN WITCH Trouble EP
[Release date 31.10.15] https://kitchenwitch.bandcamp.com/album/trouble-ep

First glance at the retro art nouveau sleeve for the debut release from Aussie female fronted rockers Kitchen Witch, with its topless female form, the immediate first thought is – is this another Blues Pills style outfit? And the answer is pretty much a ‘yes’. Certainly it’s another revisiting of the late sixties/early seventies.

Pitching in somewhat later than Blues Pills’ Peter Green-Mac era, the five track EP opener - ‘Trouble’ – is a powerful Budgie like number with front woman Georgie Casson’s vocals sounding not that far from those of Burke Shelley. It’s a potent statement of intent.

From thereon it’s a fairly standard early 70′s blues rock set borrowing on heavily on Joplin and Zeppelin, Sabbath and their compatriots. That is, marrying heavy blues rock with gospel/ soul infused vocals.

For those of us who lived through the glory years, there’s nothing ‘new’ here, although like Blues Pills it’s impressively delivered – particularly when elements of light and shade are added , as on the rather fine ‘Out Of Your Head’ and ‘Just For One Day’. And with the commanding Georgie Cosson fronting the band, Kitchen Witch definitely have the potential to rise to the top of the pile.

What I’m not sure of is what wider appetite there is for this style of music. But if you’ve hopped onto the Blues Pills bandwagon and are enjoying the ride, then Kitchen Witch is a ‘no brainer’. ***1/2 - getreadytorock.me.uk