Mainstream rock has gotten a bad rap over the years, which is understandable -- quite a lot of the music simply does not age well, or is completely disposable. And to add insult to injury, mainstream rock of the early 21st century appears to center primarily around one-hit wonders, who look for outside songwriting help and guidance to momentarily storm the charts. But then a group like
Driveblind comes along, which shows that not all mainstream rock is as bland and predictable as you think, as evidenced by their self-titled 2006 U.S. debut. Standouts include the album opener, "Silhouette" (the greatest song
Tommy Shaw never wrote), the
Travis/
Coldplay-esque "Light Sleeper," and the sweet acoustic strum of "Autumn Red." Already a hit back in their home continent of Europe (they hail from the northeast of Scotland, to be exact), it appears as though
Driveblind has what it takes for global success. ~ Greg Prato