Wino & Conny Ochs – Heavy Kingdom

Former Obsessed front-man and Dave Grohl-collaborator Wino takes a break from his usual, riff-driven pummelling rock for some acoustic down-time. In this case he is teamed with modern hippy savante Conny Ochs for 11 cuts of minimalist, introspective musings. The theme would seem to be the exorcism of the sort of pseudo-moribund, liquor-soaked demons most weathered rock musicians probably find murmuring around the recesses of their mind in between groupies.

Whilst clearly fielded as stripped-back, unpretentious, Springsteen-esque catharsis it does on occasion lapse into the uniform beige of unplugged grunge previously done better by the likes of vintage Alice in Chains. In saying that, however, it's not without its highlights. Dust is one such moment, resplendent with a healthily unforced vocal sincerity and some nicely judged bluesy guitar work. Heavy Kingdom is a thoroughly fit-for-purpose collection of rather retro strummy guy rock, unfussily captured to the point of sounding almost like a live session and mercifully light on the crooning. [Chris Cusack]