The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
16
new
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SCOTT KLEIN – “WHAT’S MY NAME”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: SOUTH OF FRANCE – “SIDEWALK”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: HOT LIPS – “FEMICIDE”
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: KATEY MORLEY – HEARTS & HEADS & THOUGHTS & DEEDS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LEAHY – “GOOD WATER”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BILL JR. JR. (A.K.A. VANCOUVER SINGER-SONGWRITER RUSSELL GENDRON) TO RELEASE ‘HOMEBODY’ ON JANUARY 26 | SINGLE “DEAR NEIGHBOUR” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: CAPE TOWN PUNK-DUO THE SOAPGIRLS RELEASE “HEART IN BLOOM” – A LOCKDOWN TRIBUTE TO HOPE AND LOVE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: STRIPPERS UNION RETURN AFTER 10 YEAR HIATUS WITH NEW DOUBLE-LP ‘THE UNDERTAKING’ VIA THE ORCHARD | FIRST SINGLE “WE ARE THE UNDERWORLD” RELEASED
SPILL NEW MUSIC: ROCK HEARTTHROB RICK SPRINGFIELD MEETS CLASSIC ROCK HEROES BADFINGER FOR A SPECIAL NEW SINGLE “LOVE IS GONNA COME AT LAST”
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: THE LUXURIOUS FAUX FURS – LIKE A REAL SHADOW
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: UNMANNED – UNMANNED
SPILL NEW MUSIC: “SHAMELESS” STAR WILLIAM H. MACY RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “WHISKEY DELL” UNDER “WILLIE CREEKS” MONIKER
SPILL EP PREMIERE: THE SHINING TONGUES – THE PRAYER
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
  • 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
269
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BORIS - DEAR
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DAVID PALFREYMAN AND NICHOLAS PEGG - DECADES

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LAST BULLET – 80-69-64

Last Bullet

Last Bullet
80-69-64
Independent

Toronto’s premier rock & roll outfit Last Bullet has released their third EP, 80-69-64, their follow up to 2012’s Love. Lust. Illusion. While the album is officially released today on July 14th, fans who attended their pre-release party at the Phoenix Concert Theater on June 17 had the opportunity to hear much of the album performed live, as well as being able to purchase a physical copy of the record a month ahead of its official release. To properly set the tone of this review, I have been listening to the record on fairly constant rotation for the last month and it has yet to lose its excitement; ultimately, 80-69-64 is one of the best albums I have heard from an up and coming band. Ever.

Now that my overall thoughts regarding the album are out there, let’s look at what makes 80-69-64 such a stand out album. For starters, Last Bullet is an incredibly tight band whose ability to write catchy songs without sacrificing their hard hitting quality is something to admire. “Bright Lights” and the opening track “Sin” immediately come to mind when thinking of how heavy and catchy the band can get. Both songs are fueled by thick and distorted guitars from Brendan Armstrong and Michael Silva, and driven by the pulsing grooves of drummer Chris Galaz and bassist Will Shannon, only to be topped off by the bellowing voice of Bryan Fontez, who sounds as much like Steven Tyler and Axl Rose as he does Scott Weiland and Layne Staley. Much like that collection of iconic singers, both “Sin” and “Bright Lights” capture a conflicting sense of glitz and darkness which further makes both tracks feel far more compelling.

“Southern Lips” stands out as the sexiest song on the record and as a reminder that while rock has taken many shapes since its rise to popularity, the genre has often been at its best when it evokes an array of lust filled imagery. “Southern Lips” is no different as it glorifies what rock was built upon: sexual fantasies so filthy that they’d make even the most conservative grin. The track is probably the most influenced by classic rock bands the likes of the Stones — largely due to its slinky lyrics and rhythmic and crunching guitar riff. The album’s closing track, “Little Miss Filthy” offers a similar lyrical theme, rather than glamourize the simple pleasure of a woman’, delivered in a sonic explosion straight from the ’90s hard rock scene of California and Seattle. These two tracks are a reminder of just how well Last Bullet straddles the worlds of classic rock from the 1970s and ’80s, and alternative hard rock from the ’90s.  While it is easy to write them off as a direct offshoot of the 1980s glam metal scene, to do so would mean ignoring a major part of their song writing style and choice of textures that denote the band as a synthesis of many, albeit often conflicting influences, which gives them a very distinct and modern sound, something which often feels lacking in many of this generation’s rock ‘n’ roll artists.

If 80-69-64 is any indication, the mantra of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll is not dead, it has simply moved to Toronto. There is not a song on the record that is less than great, and to choose one track which outshines the rest would be a difficult feat. The only thing I could ask for is more: the six tracks, while lengthy for an EP, will leave fans, old and new alike, desiring more. This is largely because the songs are written so well, and have been through the ringer to ensure that each track demonstrates an attention to detail which makes every song stand out from the next. Whether it be the rhythmic pauses in “Gimmie Time”, or the building feeling of “Sin”, it is quite apparent that 80-69-64 was a labour of blood, sweat, and tears. While many young bands strive to make rock records, very few will deliver a record with half as much conviction, attitude, style, and musicianship that builds upon the legacy of such iconic rock legends, in a manner which can stand beside their heroes as their contemporaries and revolutionaries to the style, a true bridge between rock of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and present.  That is what makes 80-69-64 such an outstanding record from a band that is as entertaining to watch and listen to as their influences.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LAST BULLET – 80-69-64

Author

Gerrod Harris

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
10
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
800-69-64album reviewslast bulletlove. lust. illusion.
800-69-64, album reviews, last bullet, love. lust. illusion.
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 reviewslast bullet
 
8.0
Front Line Assembly
4.8

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
4.8
 
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
82
 

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

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
152
 
Evanescence

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

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
47
 
Alice In Chains

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

by Gerrod Harris on December 1, 2020
58
 
Lowest Of The Low

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

by John Graham on November 28, 2020
1296
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
2708
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN LENNON – GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES
651
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARY HOPKIN – ANOTHER ROAD
591
 
SPILL FEATURE: THAT GOOD OLD FASHIONED RAZZMATAZZ – A CONVERSATION WITH DALLON WEEKES OF I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
588
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
559
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
532
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY 2.0
498
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
492
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
475
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON ANDERSON – 1000 HANDS
468
 
SPILL FEATURE: TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY – A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
445
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
435
 
SPILL FEATURE: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME – A CONVERSATION WITH CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
365
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES