It is really refreshing to hear real rock-music from a real rock-music real band. In short, The Blakes make hard-driving, guitar-driven, 60's-inspired rock 'n roll music, writes Alex Chin.

Fans of The Kinks and The Who will most certainly love them. A real parallel can also be made with the music of Kings of Leon. This is hardly surprising because The Blake’s album was mixed and mastered by Seattle music producer Martin Feveyear (Kings of Leon, Crooked Fingers).

This band has obviously gone on tour, they have obviously played gigs and they obviously live and breathe their music genre. When this is the case, it is usually safe to say that if the band didn’t become rich and famous, then they would probably carry on playing regardless. This album is full of good tracks, purely because this band is so passionate.

Pistol Grip is perhaps too niche to receive mass-popularity but it is a great whiskey-inspired rock album.

Score: 9/10
Visit: www.myspace.com/theblakes