They say rock ‘n’ roll will never die, and that may well be true, but the possibility of eternal life should never be an excuse for a band to become derivative or simply dull. Fortunately for us, Steve Train’s Bad Habits have not rested upon the laurels of their influences and their self-titled album, whilst still inspired by the past, has more than enough vigour and style to convince anyone that this band is both alive and capable of putting a new spin on things.
It almost goes without saying, given the genre, that Steve Train’s Bad Habits are a German band and that they are clearly in awe of the musical past of the good old USA yet that turns out to be no bad thing for, by adding in elements of garage rock and a generous helping of melody, they have produced ten songs that you can actually sing along with and, if your boots are made for more than walking, then they might even draw you towards the dancefloor. Whilst a lot of the sonic appeal of this band comes from Steve Train’s stylised drawl, the real hard work is done by the fleet fingered musicians backing him up and, indeed, it is that teamwork that makes songs like “Bury Me Deep” and “Trackdown” work so well.
So, while Steve Train’s Bad Habits is a good example of a modern day rock ‘n’ roll album, it is also a demonstration of why strong song writing and musicianship are the true marks of quality for any band regardless of genre.