THE DEAD DAISIES – Light ‘Em Up

The Dead Daisies make a bold and burning statement with their seventh studio album, Light ‘Em Up (2024), which is the follow-up to Radiance (2022). Though they’ve had their fair share of lineup changes over the years, their goal remains the same: to keep Rock ‘n’ Roll alive during an era where the genre is considered dead (no pun intended). The heart and soul of the band is guitarist David Lowy, who co-founded the band in 2012 with former vocalist Jon Stevens. Their name and usage of skulls were inspired by both an old phrase, “pushing up daisies,” and the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos in Spanish). Deemed a supergroup by music journalists and the general public, The Dead Daisies had the pleasure of working with notable musicians throughout their career such as vocalist / bassist Glenn Hughes, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, bassist Darryl Jones, and drummer Deen Castronovo.

Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll

2023 was a busy year for the band, with the release of their Best of compilation, celebrating their formation a decade ago, and the following, Resurrected tour. After touring wrapped up, The Dead Daisies spent time in Muscle Shoals and Nashville writing and recording their previously mentioned, seventh studio album, Light ‘Em Up, with producer Marti Frederiksen.

The album kicks off on a high note with the first single and title track. It’s an upbeat rocker that listeners should avoid driving along to, unless they want a speeding ticket. Returning vocalist John Corabi sounds fantastic, almost like he never left the band to begin with. “I’m Gonna Ride” is not as intense and listeners should be fine cruising down the highway with this track. It’s melodic and catchy, with tons of groove and an awesome AC/DC-like guitar riff. “Back to Zero” has a darker tone compared to the rest of the album. It’s slightly doomy, but not really, if that makes sense.

“Take a Long Line” has a Punk Rock vibe going on and it’s very straightforward Rock ‘n’ Roll. Nice backing vocals, a really cool guitar solo, and the pulsing bass line is the driving force of the entire thing. “Love That’ll Never Be” is the album’s only ballad and a fine one indeed. Beautiful acoustic guitar parts, melodic, and it has a modern country feel, in terms of storytelling and presentation. Light ‘Em Up closes with a banger in “Take My Soul.” It’s a dirty and raunchy rocker with tons of groove, and Corabi delivers a swaggering vocal performance.

Final Assessment

The overall vibe of the album is ‘70s / ‘80s Hard Rock with modern production. It’s a hell of a good time. The musicianship is excellent, especially the backing vocals. For those looking to kick back and forget their troubles for 37-38 minutes, give The Dead Daisies’ Light ‘Em Up a listen!

Album Tracklist

1. Light ‘Em Up
2. Times Are Changing
3. I Wanna Be Your Bitch
4. I’m Gonna Ride
5. Back to Zero
6. Way Back Home
7. Take a Long Line
8. My Way and the Highway
9. Love That’ll Never Be
10. Take My Soul

Band Lineup

John Corabi – lead vocals
Doug Aldrich – guitars
David Lowy – guitars
Michael Devin – bass guitar
Tommy Clufetos – drums