The re-emergence of melodic, riff-based rock & roll has been a mixed blessing. On one hand, the visceral simplicity is a blast of fresh air that anyone can appreciate. On the other hand, the impending ubiquity of muffed-out Les Pauls grinding out bar chords yields often-bland, if not just bad, music. Fortunately, Firebird doesn’t suffer from either. As the riff-rock outlet for guitarist Bill Steer (ex-Napalm Death, ex-Carcass), Firebird’s sound is straightforward, stripped-down and clear, but possessed of an ineffable ease and laid-back swagger that makes No. 3 a unique and enjoyable album. With just enough of a Southern rock twang (and heel-tilt) tempering what could be a thudding, Trouble-like approach, Steer is ruthless in his combinations of melody and riffage. In the end, though No. 3 will sound awfully familiar, it has enough freshness to make it worthwhile.
This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2004.