The Answer -- 'Never Too Late' [review]

The Answer - Never Too Late EP
The End Records (11/11/08)
Hard rock

The Answer might not have the best name in rock, and this latest EP might not have quite enough material on it to form a full-fledged opinion. But there must be a reason the band is being touted as the next big thing coming out of the UK.

Mixing a blend of classic rock, blues and solid musical hooks, the group offers up a nice little taste of things to come with its recent EP, Never Too Late.

With deep roots in classic rock, some have been quick to label The Answer a “new Led Zeppelin,” a title that’s sort of lacking. If anything, The Answer sounds like a revamped Whitesnake, especially on the blistering “Highwater or Hell”.

The rest of the EP is a mixed bag of sorts. “The Doctor” is a slow-tempo blues anthem, with vocalist Cormac Neeson drawling over the deliberate guitar licks. (The song ultimately turns into a groovy little rock track, reminiscent of, say, Tesla.) Many bands have recently attempted the straight-up blues approach, but more often than not the effort falls short, becoming plodding or just plain boring. The Answer doesn’t blow the track out of the water, but does put forth an admirable effort.

Rounding out the effort are two straight-forward rock songs, “Never Too Late” and a live rendition of “Come Follow Me.” The former is a little too repetitive (with Neeson almost channeling Sammy Hagar for the opening wails), and takes too long to get to the hook (ironically) which is especially frustrating given that the hook is catchy, but not overly impressive. The latter, recorded live in Japan, is a little more fun. The hook is in the music as much as the chorus, and the song manages to leave the listener on a high note (ready to spin the album once again).

The set also includes a DVD with tour footage from the band, interviews and a couple other songs.

Overall, this is a nice little taste of things to come from The Answer. The band already has a full-length under its belt but has yet to debut in the States. I’m sure everyone will have a better sense of The Answer in ’09.