Over thirty years into their career, we’ve come to appreciate and experience the soulful sound of Californian punk rock quartet The BellRays as a reliable beacon—their proven formula: emotion + energy = excitement—but another release is always good news, especially since we’re dealing with one of the most amazing female vocalists around. On the new Heavy Steady Go! LP, Lisa “big voice, big hair” Kekaula and Robert Vennum live up to their reputation with their unique synergy: he builds a concrete wall of solid but raw guitar riffs, which she paints in bright colors with her soul-powered vocals. Together with an experienced rhythm section* they play at maximum volume in ten original songs, inspired by icons such as Tom Petty, Bon Scott, Fleetwood Mac, Howlin’ Wolf, Cheap Trick and Betty Davis. It’s all rock-hard, but those who listen closely will discover deeper layers.

Heavy Steady Go! is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Sweet Gee Records. *Its recording was split by two cities, two years and two rhythm sections, featuring Mark Cisneros (bass) and Ron Miller (drums) in a Tucson, AZ session, and Nico Miles (bass) and Craig Waters (drums) in a Riverside, CA session. Band founders Robert and Lisa seamlessly produced both sessions into the final record. The digital version includes covers of The Temptations’ Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today) and Duane Dee’s True Love Travels on a Gravel Road (popularized by Elvis Presley) as bonus tracks.

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