The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
11
new
SPILL FEATURE: THE ROLLING STONES’ UNZIPPED – A CONVERSATION WITH THEMUSEUM’S DAVID MARSKELL
SPILL FEATURE: I WAS ROCKER SPICE – A CONVERSATION WITH KATHY VALENTINE OF THE GO-GO’S
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
SPILL NEWS: LISA GERRARD AND JULES MAXWELL (OF DEAD CAN DANCE) SIGN TO ATLANTIC CURVE + ANNOUNCE NEW BURN ALBUM TO BE RELEASED MAY 7
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: EX EN PROVENCE – “COUNTING DOWN THE SUNS”
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE MYSTICS – “BLACK WIDOW”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TAMAR APHEK – “RUSSIAN WINTER”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • 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
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
REGISTER
@
LOGIN
Album Reviews
207
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BRAINS - SATANA TARANTULA
next article
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE DEARS RELEASE NEW SINGLE "HEART OF AN ANIMAL" | NEW ALBUM 'LOVERS ROCK' OUT MAY 15 | TOUR DATES

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DATURA4 – WEST COAST HIGHWAY COSMIC

Datura4

Datura4
West Coast Highway Cosmic
Alive NaturalSound Records

Although the world is in lockdown, and things are not looking up, Datura4 has released, what I consider to be, the first true great summer album. West Coast Highway Cosmic is the perfect album to get out on the road, roll the windows down, and coast through the countryside with this blaring in your car. A convertible is preferred but not essential. West Coast Highway Cosmic is straight ahead, smart rock. Pure and simple.

The album is the result of the band travelling through Australia between two studios. The distance seemed to provide the band with inspiration and the attitude to record this gritty rock album — just listen to the harmonica solo in “You Be The Fool”, courtesy guest Howie Smallman. With West Coast Highway Cosmic, the band has one foot in classic rock and one foot in today’s sound.

For West Coast Highway Cosmic, the band’s fourth album, they continue to progress and become more confident in their playing and sound. The band consists of Dom Mariani (guitar and vocals), Warren Hall (drums), Stu Loasby (bass) and new recruit Bob Patient (keyboards) who adds a wonderful Hammond Organ to the mix. The sound they make is not so much retro as tapping into the great sounds of yesterday. These guys like to rock.

Overall, it is a strong album with a number of standout tracks. “Evil People Part 1”, “Rule My World” and the opening and title track “West Coast Highway Cosmic” with that wonderful organ introduction, all come to mind as tracks that demand your attention. The album is well-produced and the songs are sequenced very well. It is heavy, without the noise, and holds you captive throughout.

West Coast Highway Cosmic is a great album from beginning to end. It should be the perfect soundtrack to your summer. And the good Lord willing, this band will be on the road soon, as I can only imagine how great they would be live.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DATURA4 – WEST COAST HIGHWAY COSMIC

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
1 rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsalive naturalsound recordsdatura4west coast highway cosmicyou be the fool
album review, album reviews, alive naturalsound records, datura4, west coast highway cosmic, you be the fool
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsalive naturalsound records
 
8.0
Front Line Assembly
5.3

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL

by Trista Whitman on January 15, 2021
Front Line Assembly Mechanical Soul Metropolis Records After over three decades of music from industrial greats Front Line Assembly, they’ve now released their 17th album, [...]
 
9.0
Grievous Angels

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM

by Aaron Badgley on January 15, 2021
Grievous Angels The Summer Before The Storm Jimmy Boyle Records The Grievous Angels made their debut in 1986, and The Summer Before The Storm, their eighth album, is [...]
 
7.0
The Dirty Nil
8.9

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART

by Matt Owczarz on January 1, 2021
The Dirty Nil Fuck Art Dine Alone Records Fuck Art is the third studio album from the Hamilton, Ont.-based The Dirty Nil, in which they reaffirm their commitment to keeping the spirit of [...]
 
8.0
George Thorogood And The Destroyers
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIVE IN BOSTON, 1982: THE COMPLETE CONCERT

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
George Thorogood And The Destroyers Live In Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert Craft Recordings George Thorogood has been making music [...]
 
10
Paul McCartney
9.2

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
Paul McCartney McCartney III MPL/Capitol Paul McCartney has always used music to get through difficult times. In 1970, when the Beatles split, he came out with the classic McCartney in [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
8.0
5.3
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE S...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
7.0
8.9
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIV...
8.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
10
9.2
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on January 7, 2021
57
 

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – ‘KVITRAVN’ PRESENTATION (ONLINE PERFORMANCE)

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
71
 
Evanescence

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: EVANESCENCE @ ROCK FALCON STUDIO, NASHVILLE (TN)

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
41
 
Alice In Chains

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MoPOP PRESENTS: ALICE IN CHAINS @ MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE, SEATTLE (WA)

by Gerrod Harris on December 1, 2020
52
 
Lowest Of The Low

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LOWEST OF THE LOW @ LEE’S PALACE, TORONTO

by John Graham on November 28, 2020
1294
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • 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 FEATURE: REMEMBERING LEX GORE: A SPILL MAGAZINE MEMORIAL – TRIBUTE BY SUSANA MEZA
2699
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN LENNON – GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES
640
 
SPILL FEATURE: THAT GOOD OLD FASHIONED RAZZMATAZZ – A CONVERSATION WITH DALLON WEEKES OF I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
585
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARY HOPKIN – ANOTHER ROAD
579
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
550
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
500
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY 2.0
497
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON ANDERSON – 1000 HANDS
466
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
452
 
SPILL FEATURE: TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY – A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
441
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
367
 
SPILL FEATURE: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME – A CONVERSATION WITH CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
358
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN FOXX AND THE MATHS – HOWL
355
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES