Mad Ones: What It Takes

Toronto based power trio Mad Ones sound rather sloppy on their new album, What It Takes, but does not take awy much of the enjoyment. Heavy Rock in its infancy was never 100% in tune, the rhythm was not meant to be precise and the vocals were more about passion that chops. Leakage during the recording sessions should not be fixed, but embraced like a long lost friend.

With that in mind, this new collection of songs ticks all the boxes for fist pumping, head banging and breaking out the air guitar. They have managed to the dots between blues, glam, punk, and rough-around-the-edges college rock. As per usual connecting with the opposite sex and all the subsequent trouble that follows, is the main theme. The hectic Hydra Head has all the trappings of getting a moshpit going: it's short and fast. They saved the best for last with the quiet-loud-quiet Mess - a ramshackle slice of grunge trash about fucking up in a major way.

Mad Ones: "Breakdown" video

Toronto based rockers Mad Ones have made a video for Breakdown, a track from their new album Last Forever: "They stick to what they know best: melodic rock wrapped in layers of controlled feedback and distortion. Life is still not fair, giving them plenty of opportunity to get upset, sad and pissed off, or all three of them within the space of a single song". They dedicated the album to their late drummer, Adam Baslam.

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HCTF review of Last Forever.

Mad Ones: Last Forever

photo: Mitch Barns

Toronto based power trio Mad Ones released three singles since the release of their third full-length Regretless in 2017, but only one of them - Run On You - made it to their long-awaited new album, Last Forever. They stick to what they know best: melodic rock wrapped in layers of controlled feedback and distortion. Life is still not fair, giving them plenty of opportunity to get upset, sad and pissed off, or all three of them within the space of a single song.

With bangers like Kecskemet and Monday Morning they keep the flag of loud music flying. And even when they take it down a notch in songs like Stay Awake (a power ballad that does not suck) and No Pleasure the energy level keeps hovering near the red. Few bands can take elements from both garage and progressive rock, but these musicians are crazy and competent enough to give it try and come out on top.

Mad Ones: Regretless

Toronto based rock 'n' roll trio Mad Ones are leaning to power pop on their new album Regretless, singing about girl trouble, trying to find closure and begging (well, sort of) for another chance after a breakup. A bit of Big Star by way of The Replacements make it a fun listen.

Regretless is like a jukebox filled with double A-side singles, with songs that sound familiar after hearing them just once. No pretense, no posing, but good time music about feeling bad. They won't pick up many awards for inventiveness, but they deserve good grades for delivering catchy hooks and melodies with earworm potential.