When you think of amazing modern rock bands, a lot of bands may come to mind, and one of those bands no doubt being Fuel. For fifteen years, this band has dominated the active rock charts despite a couple of line-up changes including the departure of original vocalist Brett Scallions back in 2006. Some of the band’s most well known hits include “Bittersweet”, “Shimmer”, “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)”, “Bad Day”, “Falls On Me”, and “Won’t Back Down”, among a handful of others. After a short stint with Toryn Green on vocals for the Angels & Devils (2007) album, Fuel’s status for the next few years would be often confusing and unknown to their beloved fans. It was not until 2010 when Scallions announced Fuel will be reforming with a new line-up, ready to rock-n-roll. While some fans were torn to see the departure of original members Carol Bell (guitars) and Jeff Abercrombie, they were overjoyed to have Scallions relaunching the band. Now with the solid line-up of veteran musicians including Andy Andersson (guitarist), Brad Stewart (bassist), and Shannon Boone (drums) Fuel is ready to go after a few years of touring, writing together, and releasing their first studio album in seven years, as well as first with Scallions on vocals in over a decade, titled Puppet Strings.
The opening song “Yeah” is explosive right out of the gate with some extremely catchy guitar riffs that will make people get up off of their feet and rock out. Unmistakably, this was an excellent choice for an opening, as it is a clear and concise message to fans that the band is back and ready to rock hard. That leads into the album’s first single “Soul To Preach To” which takes things down a few notches, still keeping a great sense of rock and roll. With the eerie yet catchy vocals of Scallions, hard hitting drumming, and groovy guitar tones; this is a sure-fire track which grabs the listeners.
Bringing in a classic southern rock vibe is “Hey Mama”, instantly giving you a sense that you are listening to a classic Lynyrd Skynyrd song. The song has everything from classic groove guitar tones to powerful distinct vocals, certainly provoking it to be ranked up there as a fan favorite. Keeping the groove going “Time for Me to Stop” allows both the drumming, and bass playing of Stewart, to take control and guide the song as captains of a ship. The warm full sound of this track will make you feel as if you are flying, and if played live will be a winner.
Keeping things balanced is the track “Wander”. While being one of the slowest songs off of the record, it still maintains power and energy. Scallions vocals soar high, and when listening closely you can tell he is pouring his heart and soul into the music; giving the listener a sense this piece hit home for the songwriter. Bringing things into high gear again is “Cold Summer” which is in fact the only track featured on the album written prior to Natural Selection in 2003. With an extremely heavy, catchy bass line by Stewart, the song dishes out straight forward hard rock . On “I Can See the Sun” the band bring listeners a simple message and that is to lay back, relax, and reminisce. It is songs like these which make albums worth listening to and even more enjoyable.
As the album winds down, the title song “Puppet Strings” features a special guest appearance by The Doors guitar legend Robbie Krieger. Awe-inspiring within itself that Scallions spent time with the surviving members of The Doors touring about the USA as vocalist of Riders On The Storm, it is great to see he included Krieger on this track. The song incorporates a classic blues style and the ingenuity of rock that Fuel delivers, creating a wonderful atmosphere from start to finish.
Having run the gamut of rock vibes, “Headache” is one of the heaviest songs on the album. Reminiscent of older style Fuel songs, this will make many smile and soak in its greatest. Ending the story, the album closes out with the acoustic song “What We Can Never Have”. While primarily acoustic based, the song has a interesting surprise at the end picking up and becoming heavy and concluding the album strongly.
In the music industry, it is always a risk to be absent from your audience for extended periods of time. Fuel has come back without losing a step and are not simply fading away as an afterthought. Puppet Strings shows Scallions and company delivering a powerful and amazing record that new and old fans will love to listen to. Steering clear of trends, Fuel stuck to who they are and produce a solid addictive rock record which gets better with each listen. CrypticRock gives this album 5 out of 5 stars.
- Megaforce Records
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