STONERIDER ‘Three Legs of Trouble’ (Trustkill) RATING: 8.5/10

By GREG MAKI

Three Legs of Trouble is the debut release from StoneRider, but some of you might have heard these guys before. They were called Fight Paris and, in 2005 they released an album, Paradise, Found, and toured the United States. Same label, same four dudes, only now they have fully embraced the retro, Southern rock stylings they flirted with under their old name. Even if the sound hadn’t changed, let’s face it: StoneRider is a lot more badass of a name than Fight Paris.

They’ve backed up the name with one grooving batch of tunes. Song titles like “Ramble Down,” “Wild Child” and “Bad Lovin’ Never Felt So Good” should tell you right away what you’re getting into, and these guys don’t let you down. “Hair of the Dog” is a cover of the classic Nazareth song, and its unforgettable riff is right at home among StoneRider’s huge hooks. The stars are guitarists Neil “Staxxx” Warren and Matt Tanner, who has improved his vocals by adding what sounds like a slight touch of the Axl Rose croak to his Southern twang, while drummer Jason Krutzky and bassist Champ Champagne hold it all together.

Every song on Three Legs of Trouble sounds like something you would hear at full volume at your local watering hole on a Saturday night. It’s overflowing with an infectious, good-time, rock n’ roll vibe. With the right breaks, this album could be everywhere—and it should be because it deserves to be heard. If Wolfmother can have success on rock radio, StoneRider should be huge.