Hardly a week goes by without a reminder that the retro rock caravan is crammed to capacity even as the queue to hop onboard continues to lengthen. Enter The Socks from France, a quartet whose self-assured swagger looks set to see them mix it with the well-established likes of Graveyard, Kadavar, Witchcraft et al.
Hot on the heels of a pair of well-received EPs, this debut full-length steps things up a notch, giving the band’s blend of Sabbath, Purple, Zeppelin and early Rainbow influences a somewhat modern sheen, a move out of step with many of their peers.
From uptempo rockers to freaky jams, it grooves, boogies and shuffles its way through 43 minutes of big-trousered riffing augmented by swathes of Purple/Uriah Heep-style keys and psychedelic flourishes. It’s consistent, it flows, and they’ve done enough to keep the strong sense of déjà vu in check.
