Airbourne’s recent album ‘Boneshaker’ is the embodiment of Aussie rock
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13.11.2019

Airbourne’s recent album ‘Boneshaker’ is the embodiment of Aussie rock

Words by Rhys Mckenzie

Ain’t nothing like old school rock’n’roll to get you through the day.

Collaborating with acclaimed producer Dave Cobb and new guitarist, Matt ‘Harri’ Harrison, Airbourne deliver their fifth album Boneshaker.

A staple in Airbourne’s catalogue is that if an album has a title track, it is the most conspicuous and intense. In this case, ‘Boneshaker’ does what it’s supposed to do, with an impressive chorus and banshee-like vocals from frontman and living embodiment of rock, Joel O’Keeffe. 

His impressive vocals are present throughout the album, backed with energetic musicality. This is present on most tracks, most noticeably being ‘She Gives Me Hell’, ‘Backseat Boogie’ and ‘Blood In The Water; the latter having the darkest of lyrics to spare.

Airbourne aren’t ones to shy away from their love of good ol’ rock, which makes
having a track called ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll For Life’ a fitting move, even if it’s not their most impressive track.

Unfortunately, Boneshaker does hit a slight bump in the road towards the first half of the album, with mid-tempo rockers being clumped together before energy is regained mid-album. If these tracks were spread out throughout the album, the structure of Boneshaker would be more solid.

But Boneshaker does have the muscle and entertainment we’ve come to expect from the Aussie rock outfit.

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