440 reviews -
“Kicking off with the loud rev of a meaty engine, its clear from the start that Canadian rockers Equal Loudness Curve produce hardcore rock – the band are rockin’ out in the best possible way – old school style! Tasty riffs, tinkling piano melodies, adventurous drum beats and gritty vocals, the band are the epitome of hard rock from across the pond. Conjuring images of motor rallies with scores of leather and denim-clad people gathered together on a petrol-fuelled high, ELC aren’t for the faint-hearted. This is the raw, rugged type of rock that gets beneath your skin and sends your pulse racing, there’s no better type out there! I could listen to this album all night long and still enjoy it - the guys are good at what they do. I’m a huge fan of 70’s/80’s-style hard rock and couldn’t be happier that its making a comeback because of the likes of ELC. The guys have released a superb album that really sticks two fingers up at commercial rock and shows the new generation how its done.”
– Sian Jennifer Smith Roomthirteen.com October 2010 (Wales, U.K.)
“’So Glad To See You’ starts things off nicely, all honky-tonk keyboards and Status Quo riffage and ‘Dusty Road’ is a mighty fine song that reminds me of Circus of Power – this is 70’s blues rock at its best. ‘Wicked Woman’ has a sleazy swagger with some solid guitar work. The rest of the album follows the same path. Dirty, greasy biker rock…for dirty greasy bikers!”
– Ben Hughes uberrock.co.uk October 2010 (England)
“With the album opening to the sound of a revving engine that would have the Top Gear presenters purring with appreciation, you know this is going to be an out and out rock record. ELC’s second album is a straight down the line concoction of blues based rock and roll, with hints of Stones, BTO and Skynyrd from this journeyman band. Up tempo, loud, chugging toe-tappers throughout, the band are clearly at home playing live and while this recording may dampen some of that live ferocity, its not for want of trying as they perform their 12 tracks of road music. This is one for those who like their music simple, honest, raw and firmly based on blues rock.”
- Rock Society Magazine Oct/Nov 2010 issue 180 (U.K.)
“Back again, after their debut ‘Let it Roll’, its business as usual for this band from Winnipeg, Canada and their brand of blue collar rock that tips its hat to the great US bands of the 70’s. Main man Trevor Knox Millar has a voice that falls somewhere between a sneering Mick Jagger and Alice Cooper. The album has a familiarity and its played with enough commitment that you can almost smell the vinyl. ‘So Glad To See You’ kicks things off with a raucous rocker with nice upfront keyboard. ‘Wicked Woman’ melds the Rolling Stones with The Guess Who, ‘I Like It’ throbs pleasingly and is music designed for cruising in your car to. There’s more Stones swagger on ‘I Know What I Said’ and ‘Down Here In The Sludge’ gives you some Grand Funk Railroad rocking. ‘Hunter’ and ‘Summer Moon’ have an almost Southern Rock flavor. All the tracks benefit from fine guitar solos that last long enough to drain a beer. If you’re partial to no-nonsense rock of the kind American radio was built on, then you should check this out.”
- Duncan Jamieson Fireworks Rock & Metal Magazine October 2010 (United Kingdom)
“Honky Tonk biker rock! Canadian band Equal Loudness Curve have the sound nailed down, I could honestly listen to this album over and over again, and thoroughly enjoy it. 440 is packed with solid songs. Check these guys out.”
- Glitzine.net, November 2010 (England)
"440 lets you forget about your worries and lose yourself on the open road: its a high octane fueled ride reminiscent of the glory days of rock n' roll."
-Shannah-Lee Vidal, Mix 100 FM CJCD
"From the first track on 440 you know Equal Loudness Curve is high octane rock and roll! Great band!
-Casey Norman, Power 97.5 CJKR FM
"Twice as big, twice as loud, Equal Loudness Curve lays down a mean groove with the lead track and never looks back. Anthems galore: the lazy chug of 'Summer Moon' drenched in hot summer night humidity, a tribute to the godfather of Gonzo (Hunter) and the sexual heat of 'I Like It."
- Broose Tulloch, host of Beer For Breakfast, 92.9 KICK FM
“The Riff Rules! Full steam ahead ass-kicking American rock reminiscent of Status Quo, Humble Pie, The Sweet, Bad Company, Mountain and Budgie.”
– Dietrich Gastrock home-of-rock.de November 2010 (Germany)
“For me, rock music is about riffs and melody, which seems lost on most commercial rock music these days. Some asshole screaming like a banshee while every player in the band tries to sound like a virtuoso may be technically impressive but sure as shit you aren’t going to be humming that song later on! ELC is simple and pure, as rock music should be…I love classic rock music and as you can hear, I’m not trying to re-invent the wheel with the music I write. I never really saw the point of trying to sound different for the sake of sounding different, usually it just ends up sounding like shit!” – Trevor Knox Millar interview home-of-rock.de November 20, 2010
Let it Roll reviews -
“Perfect-for-partying or drivin’-in-the-dark stuff made popular by AC/DC and Bad Company…replete with sleazy, sneered vocals & arena-worthy guitar licks. ***1/2”
- Winnipeg Sun
“If I asked you to name five bands that are associated with Winnipeg, Manitoba you might well answer with Neil Young, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who, Bif Naked & the Crash Test Dummies. We might just have another name to add to that list with four piece Equal Loudness Curve. There are times when you’re listening to new CDs and it’s a struggle to find that certain something that hooks you in but every now again you get one that has that “thing” and it sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. ELC haven’t re-invented the wheel or anything but what they have given us is an honest hard rock album full of songs which are very easy to enjoy. All of the songs on this album have that certain something. They’re not overplayed or overproduced. ELC have known exactly how far to go with them: guitar solos in all the right spots, soaring riffs, rhythms & choruses keeping the pace going and lingering piano outros let songs finish as they should. As debut releases go, this is one of the best I’ve heard lately. 8 Powerpoints”
- Allan Bannerman – POWERPLAY Rock & Metal Magazine issue 109 May 2009 (international)
“Charged with some crunchingly fuzzy blues rock rifferama expanded upon intelligently by a little southern rock, smooth Hammond organ & everything from Bad Company to Led Zeppelin to the garage days of The Stooges, ELC’s ‘Let it Roll’ has a wild and satisfying depth. The playful yet dangerous sounding mid-tempo of ‘Too Damn Lazy’ digs its hooks deep into the listener as does the totally retro ‘You & The Devil’, but the ‘70’s style, upbeat summer rocker ‘California’ takes on more of a lighter, southern vibe. Able to kick out the jams or kick you in the nuts, ELC deliver an explosive set with the gnashing of teeth style attributed to someone like Iggy Pop at his most menacing. 8/10”
- Tim Baker, Editor – Dirty Rock Magazine April 2009
“In the city of Winnipeg we have a wonderful, iconic music scene that goes back about five decades. We have given the world some phenomenal music and I really believe inside that Equal Loudness Curve will continue that legacy. There are some very powerful moments on ‘Let it Roll’ and there are so many things I like about the project. I love ‘Too Damn Lazy’. At the end of the day these are songs that should be listened to.”
- Howard Mandshein, radio legend, 92.1 CITI-FM, Winnipeg.
"With a devotion to blues-based hard rock, Equal Loudness Curve kinda sneaks up on you. ELC kicks out the jams with a subtly infectious sense of rock-riffery. Trevor Knox Millar is the guiding force here, and he and his bandmates create a blend of hooks and riffs that works best on songs such as You & The Devil, Too Damn Lazy, and California, which also features some knock-‘em-dead boogie-woogie piano. This album establishes the band’s potential.”
- John Kendle, Editor, Uptown Magazine
"Winnipeg’s ELC successfully tackles the monolithic wallup of gargantuan rock riffs all over Let it Roll, but has infused enough of its own thudding musical personality into the grooves of the dozen tracks so it rises above the sludge of their intended homage to create stoner-rock classics. Turn this one up. ***”
- Jeff Monk, Winnipeg Free Press
“ELC hail from Winnipeg in Canada, which is the birthplace of Neil Young & The Guess Who but this band has more in common with AC/DC, Bad Company/Free & seventies Aerosmith. What you get with ‘Let it Roll is a thoroughly enjoyable blues based rock album. The riffs are polished, the vocals are clean and importantly, ‘Let it Roll’ is a decent set of songs. Its the kind of album that can easily pass an hour whilst you’re driving your car. That’s not a bad thing and I think that’s mostly the point of the album. There’s plenty of Hendrix-inspired riffing and there’s some Hammond organ and boogie-woogie piano that gives the songs some personality. ‘That’s The Truth’ is a total surprise; its more stoner rock than blues rock and ‘Too Damn Lazy’ is one of the standout tracks. They’re a good band and they are obviously good musicians who are having a hell of a lot of fun makin’ rock music. Enjoyable stuff.”
– Neil Daniels, FIREWORKS magazine June/July 2009 issue
“Honest, loud, rowdy & fun are keywords when you want to describe a band like Equal Loudness Curve. I don't have a clue what the band name means but these guys from Winnipeg, Canada sure know how to rock. And by that I mean Rock with a capital R, monstrous riffing, sneering & spitting voices. The saliva runs down this platter like from the mouth of a rabid dog, I tell you. Listen to slow-burner 'Don’t Waste Your Time', the vicious chorus of 'Too Damn Lazy' and several other examples of this nice indie surprise straight from the home of The Guess Who & Neil Young. And while we're at it, there are worse names to be compared with than mentioned names. Add to the equation a nice vintage sounding organ & some Bad Company and you know why this here boy starts to sound a little over enthusiastic. 5/6”
- Kris Vandekerckhove, Rock Report May 2009-08-12
“According to the inside of the CD sleeve, an equal loudness curve details how the ear reacts to different frequencies on different sound levels which to me, sounds a little bit pretentious and has all the hallmarks of Prog Rock but this couldn’t be further from the truth. This Canadian band play no nonsense blues rock music that is possibly as far away from my initial genre speculations in that their music is stripped down in the same vain as Bad Company or early Black Crowes. ‘You & The Devil’ kicks off the album in fine style, Trevor Knox Millar’s vocals take a little getting used to but it’s a pleasant change from the full on audible assault that I’ve been reviewing recently. The comparisons to other bands come thick and fast as the CD spins on with an incredible degree of variety. ‘That’s What I Said’ intro could be taken directly off AC/DC’s Back in Black but ‘Too Damn Lazy’ has a distinct Weezer feel to the vocals. These comparisons are never direct copies that would raise any plagiarism accusations; rather that Equal Loudness Curve have taken pointers from the bands that have inspired them and developed a sound all their own. The musical variations continue with piano accompaniments included on the track ‘California’ showing that this band has the talent to deliver. This appears to be a determined effort to break beyond their local scene starting with the UK. What this CD needs is to be delivered live with a support slot that would get the band greater exposure. Sadly I believe that they may be overlooked, which would be a shame, because they have a lot to offer.”
- Simon Mulholland, Vanguard Online May 2009
“A Canadian rock band who have a quirky style at times. Highlights on ‘Let it Roll’ include the AC/DC-like opener ‘You & The Devil’; ‘Too Damn Lazy’; ‘Not By Much’; the cool piano included ‘California’; the Oasis ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’-like ‘True Knowledge’; the deep-fuzzed bluesy ‘Out On The Highway’ and the closing rockin’ ‘Ease My Soul’. Cool s**t dudes. 7/10”
- Glenn Milligan Metalville UK June 2009
“You & The Devil is a killer track. I really like this track. This should be a single.”
- Gordo, Program Director and host of The Buzz FREQ 107, Winnipeg, Canada
"That was f***ing awesome!!!"
- some drunken maniac at one of our shows
EQUAL LOUDNESS CURVE is a blues-based, melody and hook reliant hard rock band, furiously waving the rock and roll banner while proudly wearing their influences on their sleeves. ELC offers up a refreshingly familiar sound that emphasizes a return to album-oriented melodic riff-rock with passion and soul.
“We will continue to make EQUAL LOUDNESS CURVE albums, even if it means I spend the rest of my life living in a van down by the river.” – Trevor Knox Millar
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