Josh Todd and The Conflict - Year of the Tiger (2017)

We all know Josh Todd, the vocalist for modern heavy rock band Buckcherry. I remember their first album blowing up my car stereo speakers back in 1999. Recently, they dropped Rock N Roll, an album of exactly that, classic hard rock. Now Todd has started a new band, Josh Todd & The Conflict. It's not quite a solo album as guitarist Stevie Dacanay from Buckcherry cowrote the songs with Todd. The Conflict is filled out with bass player Greg Cash and drummer Sean Winchester.

Suffice to say, if you like any Buckcherry stuff, you'll like Josh Todd & The Conflict. Their sound is essentially hard and heavy rock with a metal edge and wrapped in a d-tuned bottom end. The riffs are both sharp and heavy, the rhythm section a groovy beat down, and the Stevie D solos dynamic and bristling. Todd sounds as expected, like a acute nasal version of Axl Rose, at least in my opinion. I never really enjoyed his musical voice, which is probably why after the first Buckcherry album I didn't continue to follow the band's career. What is also consistent with Todd is the use of his favorite vulgarity in his lyrics. Holy fucking fuck, the word fuck peppers this album, finding its consummation in the hilarious song Fucked Up. Actually, I think the word sounds more funny when Todd says it.

As for the rest of the songs, there's some variety. You have less than three minute brevity in the heavy rocker Atomic, the swift Year Of The Tiger, and the the deep bass groove of Story Of My Life, having also a great melodic chorus. Rain has this Queen-like start with drum stomp and hand claps, and then leans into this blues groove Oh yeah, there's some motherfuckers in the song, too. This is followed by Good Enough, something of an acoustic guitar ballad with Todd over top and steady drums underneath. Finally, there's also Push It which turns on a barrelling rock groove and a tight catchy chorus. As mentioned above, if you're a fan of Josh Todd as a vocalist or simply a Buckcherry fan, you'll like Josh Todd & The Conflict and Year Of The Tiger. But don't expect the songs to sound like a Buckcherry. Do expect them to rock hard with a metal edge.

TRACKLIST

01. Year of the Tiger
02. Inside
03. Fucked Up
04. Rain
05. Good Enough
06. The Conflict
07. Story of My Life
08. Erotic City
09. Push It
10. Atomic
11. Rain