Arriving like a meteorite from the cosmos, Welsh rockers Cardinal Black have unearthed their new album, Midnight at the Valencia, which touched down today, May 23rd via Thirty Tigers.
The album captures a band hitting its stride after years of quiet persistence and creative evolution, and has since made its way into the ears of those across international waters like yours truly, and well beyond.
Consisting of frontman Tom Hollister, guitarist Chris Buck, and drummer Adam Roberts, the band’s story is one for the ages: their very first show was attended by Steve Winwood, who was fresh off a three-night run at Madison Square Garden with Eric Clapton. He was apparently so taken with Cardinal Black’s performance that he invited them to record at his studio in the English countryside. Additionally, their debut single, “Tell Me How It Feels,” unseated Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds from the top of the iTunes rock chart, and they’ve since shared stages with Peter Frampton (earning a standing ovation at Royal Albert Hall), Myles Kennedy, and Joe Bonamassa.
Not too shabby.
With a whimsical and imaginative flute opening as if waking up to a new dawn, the album soon kicks in with riding drums and an anthemic electric guitar riff. “Ride Home” brings it all back — well, home — and appears to tell a personal coming of age tale. “As the world keeps turning / I stay still instead,” Hollister howls with his unmistakeable vocal power.
Consider me a fan of songs that seamlessly melt into one another, which is the case in the follow-up track, “Falling.” Again riding with the strong rock energy giving off Pearl Jam vibes, the verse settles things down for Hollister’s smoky and soulful vocals to take centerstage. “I keep waiting for the better day / I keep searching for the better way / And all I ever wanted was you,” he sings with sheer grit.
Their fifth track, the propulsive driving number that is “Keep On Running,” shines a light on their badass blues side. Their March single pulls no punches and delivers a sense of confidence and boldness only soul n’ blues rock songs can bring. Hollister’s vocals again are strong enough to break through brick walls, and it sure would be fun to hear this one live.
But it’s not all anthemic rock bangers with Cardinal Black. They show their mellow and vulnerable side on tender tracks like “Morning Light” and “Racing Cars” among others.
The slow-burn catharsis of their April single, “Need More Time,” is a another notable track that hits, but this time with a more Americana flair, offering a sense of the band’s versatility. The accentuating addition of harmonica and organ lift the track in another delightful direction. The song acts as a consolation to those who need a shoulder to lean on.
Midnight at the Valencia feels like an encapsulation of the band’s “10,000 hours” — the dive bars, the near-misses, the personal loss. It was tracked live to vintage analogue gear at Powerplay Studios in Zurich, using a ‘70s-era Disney console, with each song feeling unfiltered and raw.
Cardinal Black has their debut U.S. headline tour in August already close to sold out — with packed rooms awaiting them in NYC, Toronto, Chicago, Austin, and Atlanta before they’ve even touched down in the states. And if their music is good enough for Steve Winwood, it’s good enough for us.
