The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TEDDY AT NIGHT – “LIVE AT THE HIBERNATOR”
SPILL NEWS: LIZ PHAIR ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM ‘SOBERISH’ HER FIRST RECORD IN ELEVEN YEARS TO BE RELEASED JUNE 4 VIA CHRYSALIS RECORDS
SPILL TRACK OF THE WEEK: MASSAGE – “HALF A FEELING”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NEW SINGLE FROM MICK JAGGER “EAZY SLEAZY” FEATURING DAVE GROHL OUT NOW
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: FRIED MONK X BEAUTIFUL-FORTUNE – “PLANET B”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER
SPILL FEATURE: SOMEBODY HAS TO BE ON MUSHROOMS, RIGHT? – A CONVERSATION WITH DIRTY HONEY’S JOHN NOTTO & JUSTIN SMOLIAN
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: WE FOUND A LOVEBIRD – “BLOOD AND THE DIRT”
SPILL CANADIAN VIDEO PREMIERE: MARVA VON THEO – “DISSOLVE”
SPILL TRACK OF THE WEEK: SUZI MOON – “SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: TOO MUCH JOY – “THAT’S THE WAY THAT THE WORLD GOES ROUND”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: THE LIVING PINS – “JAGUAR”
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
91
previous article
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: FRIENDLYBEAR - "LOVE BLUFF"
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RUSH - PERMANENT WAVES: 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACKTOP MOJO – STATIC

Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo
Static
Sandhill Records

Following a truly successful sophomore album, Under The Sun, released in the fall of last year, Blacktop Mojo have returned with a four-track EP, Static. Given the Texas hard rock band’s rapidly growing status as a band to watch out for among the current rock revival that is sweeping across North America, it is no surprise that Static marks yet another strong, albeit brief, moment in the band’s creative output.

Opening with “The End”, Blacktop Mojo kicks things off with a mid-tempo but heavy slow-burner, that grows from a quiet and mildly ambient verse to a truly explosive chorus full of thick, distorted guitars and soaring, unrestrained vocals. As the song continues to develop, the melodic guitar work from the first verse is seamlessly combined with a number of distorted lines before erupting into an incredible solo. “Watch Me Drown” follows in tone with “The End”. Both tracks feel like a departure from the riff-heavy material the band is known for on previous releases, and embraces a slightly more dynamic songwriting style that feels very much influenced by ‘90s grunge and hard rock. In this case, the contrast in quiet to heavy between verse and chorus, paired with killer guitars and strong vocals, feels very reminiscent of Alice In Chains.

The latter half of Static continues with primarily acoustic-driven ballad, “Leave It Alone”, a song full of muted electric guitar lines hidden behind the band and acoustic tone – again, very Alice In Chains – until the track, out of nowhere, truly sets off with a larger than life solo and final chorus that brings the ballad to strong climax before returning to the lower energy of the intro. The band brings Static to a close with another mostly acoustic ballad, representing a further shift in tone, style, and songwriting for Blacktop Mojo.

Static, in just four songs, proves to be the most dynamic and introspective release from Blacktop Mojo yet. The surprisingly experimental EP is a definite departure from expectations as the band flexes their songwriting chops and displays their musicianship and performance power in a different manner. Regardless, Static is a strong release from Blacktop Mojo as the band continues to move forward sonically.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACKTOP MOJO – STATIC

Author

Gerrod Harris

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
8.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsblacktop mojosand hill recordsstaticwatch me drown
album review, album reviews, blacktop mojo, sand hill records, static, watch me drown
About the Author
Gerrod Harris
Gerrod Harris
A passion for music has always been a part of Gerrod’s life. As a young boy, he was raised on a steady diet of the music from The Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, The Stones, Prince, and others from his mum. Raised in the GTA, Gerrod continued to foster his love for music by attending a wide range of concerts and learning the drums. His unapologetic passion for music has no bounds and has spread to a wide variety of styles, whether it be the 90’s rock that sound tracked his teenage years, the jazz he studied in university, or his newfound love for hip-hop. He recently received his bachelors in music and education from York University and is passionate about writing and reviewing good (and less than good) music. Gerrod is also the drummer and songwriter for a Toronto based rock & roll band, One In The Chamber.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsblacktop mojo
 
7.0
The Reds, Pinks & Purples

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER

by Dan Kennard on April 9, 2021
The Reds, Pinks and Purples Uncommon Weather Slumberland Records For the third year in a row, The Reds, Pinks, and Purples have released another album of gentle, hazy, [...]
 
7.0
Robert Cotter
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
Robert Cotter Missing You WeWantSounds Before Chic set the disco world on fire with the quintessential hit, “Le Freak” in 1978, they were The Big Apple Band, fronted by Robert Cotter. [...]
 
9.0
Twin Tribes
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS

by Jake Collier on April 9, 2021
Twin Tribes Altars Negative Gain/Young & Cold Records/Manic Depression Records Darkwave duo du jour, Twin Tribes, have released Altars, a remix album that encompasses their first two [...]
 
9.0
Dry Cleaning

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG

by Dan Kennard on April 2, 2021
Dry Cleaning New Long Leg 4AD Story has it South London-based Dry Cleaning has its origin in a long-ago karaoke night and a small garage in which guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick Buxton, [...]
 
6.0
Badfinger
8.7

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISITING THE HITS

by Aaron Badgley on March 26, 2021
Badfinger No Matter What – Revisiting The Hits Cleopatra Records I love Badfinger. I maintain that they are one of the most underrated bands of all time, and [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WE...
7.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
7.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
9.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISI...
6.0
8.7
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Philip H. Anselmo

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
54
 
This Is A Rock Show

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
3140
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 3 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on March 18, 2021
13
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 2 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on February 18, 2021
247
 
Small Town Titans

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SMALL TOWN TITANS @ SMT HQ, YORK (PA)

by Gerrod Harris on February 6, 2021
46
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NOFX – SINGLE ALBUM
2143
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON BATISTE – WE ARE
945
 
SPILL CONTEST: MANNEQUIN VANITY RECORDS GIVEAWAY – ENTER TO WIN A GIANT MVR PRIZE PACK!
811
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHEVELLE – NIRATIAS
794
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
714
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK PISTOL FIRE – LOOK ALIVE
431
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT
407
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: “SHAMELESS” STAR WILLIAM H. MACY RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “WHISKEY DELL” UNDER “WILLIE CREEKS” MONIKER
358
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SEEPEOPLES – “IT FEELS HEAVY”
345
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DANIEL LANOIS – HEAVY SUN
342
 
SPILL FEATURE: HIS STORY RIGHT NOW – A CONVERSATION WITH cEvin Key
317
 
SPILL FEATURE: TRULY ORCHESTRATING HIS OWN LIFE – A CONVERSATION WITH RICK SPRINGFIELD
298
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
290
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES