Review: Shaw Davis & The Black Ties 'Red Sun Rebellion'

Shaw Davis & The Black Ties

By Mike O’Cull

Incendiary blues/rock power trio Shaw Davis & The Black Ties flex and shine on the band’s new record Red Sun Rebellion. Released July 30th, 2021 via Sony Orchard, the nine-song set was produced by Grammy winner Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter) and launches the group further down the path of reinventing and revitalizing hard rock they had already been traveling. Davis and his band have developed a game-changing sound that builds on the greats of guitar music past but also shows a more progressive attitude than most groups working right now. They aren’t a prog outfit but they are taking the idea of three-piece blues/rock into a fresh new era.

Together since 2017, Shaw Davis & The Black Ties have been impressive from the jump. The lineup of Shaw on guitar and vocals, Patrick Stevenson on bass and vocals, and Bobby Van Stone on drums share a high level of musical chemistry that allowed them to play more than 300 gigs in just two years and blast out a spot for themselves on the national scene. The trio has supported many major artists onstage like Walter Trout, Samantha Fish, Blue Oyster Cult, The Guess Who, Blackberry Smoke, Eric Gales, Eric Tessmer, Bishop Gunn, Foghat, and The Georgia Satellites and is well on its way to its own headline status. The band pulls from influences including Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and Rage Against The Machine and mixes in their own substantial vision of what this kind of music should be. The end results of all this creative depth are a sound and a style that represents timeless human vibes in a completely modern way. Shaw doesn’t sound like his record collection but its spirit is audible in every note he plays and sings.

Shaw Davis opens the record with the heavily grooving “Higher.” It’s a strong rocker that sits on tight, crunching guitars and a big-league riff. Shaw’s vocal take cuts right through the band, as do his searing guitar licks and tone. This is real, high-velocity rock music, the kind that can trade body blows with any band in history. Shaw is a nuanced, soulful player and instantly makes you want to hear more. “Heart To Steal” is a kinetic and sweaty hyper boogie burner that gives Davis the chance to turn his guitar loose for a while. The heavy, half-time chorus builds the track’s torque up like downshifting an old GTO and hitting the gas and adds a lot of character to it.

“If I Stay This Way” is chilled out and atmospheric but also gets loud when it needs to. Shaw’s clean-toned guitar work is especially sweet and holds him in place until the time to start ripping arrives. Bassist Patrick Stevenson and drummer Bobby Van Stone shadow his every dynamic move and give this cut the flexible energy it needs to succeed. You can almost hear the three musicians breathing together.

The brawny riffs, grooves, and ideas of “Black Flagged” hit like a crowbar and will appeal to those seeking something that rocks harder than most other bands in this genre. The song is the sound of a perfectly-balanced rock trio speaking its mind and that’s something you just can’t beat. These three have that unspoken magic among them that makes them sound bigger and more urgent than the average three-piece band and they show it all here. All nine songs here are well worth your listening time but be sure to catch “Straight Ahead” and “Too Far Gone.” Shaw Davis & The Black Ties are living in the future of blues/rock music and Red Sun Rebellion is our invitation to join them there. Take the trip. You’ll be glad you did.

Listen to “No More”