Jordan Red – Hands That Built The World: A Full Album Review

Hello hello, what’s this? The first album released by a new band? Don’t mind if I do.

Jordan Red (named after the Psychiatrist Dr Jordan B. Peterson and the Red Pill from Matrix not the trainers) are a new duo frontman Dan Leigh and guitarist Dan Baker based in London recorded their debut album with Conor O’Keefe on bass and Dave Fee on drums in Long Wave Studios, Cardiff.

The band’s stated aim is to seek out the truth by viewing life through the lens of a ‘red pill’ ala Matrix. An interesting and ambitious aim for a bands first album, especially one that has been so impacted by Covid. Nevertheless, the band were able to develop the ideas that has turned into Hands That Built The World.

So let’s give it a listen.

The Review

Straight from the off, I’m reminded that Jordan Red are a very new band as this entire album sounds very modern. It is very well engineered and produced and the sound is really good. I’m just not sure I like this modern sound, I’m an old man now and I like my 80’s classics thank you very much.

However, I have to keep reminding myself to not live in the past (nod to Tull) and to try and keep ‘with it’ whatever ‘it’ is.

So with that awesome Simpsons moment in mind, I cranked up the volume (to about 8, my ears hurt otherwise these days, bloody tinnitus) sat back and just listened.

And surprise surprise, I liked what I heard.

The pre-chorus on track 2, Spilling My Blood, works really well acting like a bridge. The guitar solo’s are great throughout and even though my very first reaction to Dan’s vocals was ‘that’s a little nasally’ I soon got used to it and on tracks such as Beautiful Monsters I could easily be convinced that it was Myles Kennedy singing on yet another Alter Bridge album and not someone singing on his first album. Quality stuff.

Yes, they band do remind me of Alter Bridge. Trust me that isn’t a bad thing.

There are some moments when a couple of songs kinda melded into one another, to be honest this was when I had it on as background music and I was working and before I knew it 4 tracks had passed. Is that a good thing? I’m not sure.

However, there is enough here to get me interested to see what they will be like live and to keep tabs on future releases by them.

Conclusion

I enjoyed this album. I think you will too, so I recommend checking it out.

Score 7/10

Track Listing

1. 1. Awake
   2. Spilling My Blood
   3. Beautiful Monsters
   4. Way Down
   5. Hands That Built The World
   6. Don’t Let The Heavens Fall
   7. Freak Show
   8. Before They Burn Us All
   9. Is Calls My Name
   10. We Are Everybody
   11. Cast A Flame
   12. Get Up
       Label – Self Released
       Release – 11th November

       For all things Jordan Red, click HERE and to purchase the album, click HERE