From the opening chords of the song “Satisfaction” you know what the album holds, this is straight up rock and roll in the vein of AC/DC.  Nothing fancy, but lots of catchy riffs, big hooks,  and loud choruses and a healthy sense of humor in song titles that will raise some eyebrows but actually go in a different way than you’d expect.

Most people know of Rex Scott through the bands Zion and X-Sinner where he is lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist.  GX Project is a side project of Rex Scott with producer/guitarist Glenn Thomas.  Sinner is actually the second release for GX Project with the duo releasing Bite Stick in 2012.

“Satisfaction” starts out like many an AC/DC song with the lone guitar riff joined by drums and the rest of the band  and some nasally vocals that sound more like Bon Scott than Brian Johnson.  Interestingly, to me, in other songs, the vocals would be closer to Brian Johnson, definitely showcasing that Rex Scott was perfectly made for this music.  Glenn Thomas adds some nice solo work here sound at times like Agnus Young with some unexpected flourishes that bring to mind Eddie Van Halen (seriously).

As Rex Scott said in a recent interview, this is a “fun” album.  There’s not a lot of serious topics or focus areas here.  This is music for entertainment, music that both Christians and non-Christians can easily enjoy.  Lyrically, the goal was not to be preachy, but write things that people can relate to.  Musically, I hear bits of all sorts of bands here and there, from old Def Leppard, to Cinderella, to Great White, to the obvious AC/DC and even at times some Van Halen.  Not so much Van Halen in the strict sense but definitely in attitude and approach, although the guitar in “Don’t Come Cheap” sounds eerily reminiscent to that in “Little Guitars” off  VH Diver Down.

Some of the tracks like “She Goes All Night”, “I Sell Love” and “Get You High” have a little less bite to them than the others and almost seem a bit out of place compared to the others, which is especially noticeable in the transition from “I Sell Love” to the raucous rocker “Tear It Up”.  When the band is firing on all cylinders, the results are some great songs with undeniable catchy riffs and hooks.

The first single, so to speak, would be “Train Wreck” for which the band put together a video as well.  In a lot of ways, that is the perfect introduction to the album.  The song starts out with a catchy guitar riff to introduce things and the raspy, gravelly vocals and the rest of the band come in.  Verses are carried by the vocals and guitar but the bass and drums thump along nicely in a supporting role.  The chorus has gang vocals as would be expected in the genre and everything just seems to get louder.  Add in a good guitar solo in the middle and toward the end that fit well within the song and lyrical content that pokes some fun at the band as they retell the story of a song ending gone bad in a live show.

This is straight ahead rock and roll with no pretense.  It’s familiar, almost in a comforting way.  Most listeners will know intuitively where the songs are headed and will not be surprised but that is some of the appeal.  Musicianship is excellent, guitars are loud and with the vocals dominate but the bass guitar and drums provide a good, strong low end base for the songs.  Honestly, though, I rarely come across albums like this as it does hearken back to earlier days, but it is still a fun ride and is one of those albums you can turn up, play loud and every rock fan will appreciate.

Rating: 7.5/10

Written by John Jackson

Tracklist:
1. Satisfaction
2. Rock n Roll Soul
3. You Can’t
4. Get Some
5. She Goes All Night
6. I Sell Love
7. Tear It Up
8. Sinner
9. Get You High
10. All About You
11. Don’t Come Cheap
12. Train Wreck
13. Living Dead

Band Members:
Rex D Scott – Vocals, guitar
Glenn Thomas – Guitars
Craig Jeans (live drums)

Record Label: Image Records, May 2014

Weblinks: Facebook / Website

Video below ‘Train Wreck’