Widow's Work is the fourth album from Brooklyn veterans Heaven's Jail. There's a '70s Rock vibe that permeates the songs, making this an enjoyable modern take on a bygone era.

The album contains 10 Rock songs (38 min, 24 sec) very much in the style of a watered down John Cale / Lou Reed LP. That's not intended to be an insult, far from it, it's just that's how it comes across to me.

There are plenty of familiar Rock guitar riffs that you'll have heard countless times elsewhere and this is both the album's weakness as well as its strength, depending on your point of view.

For some, it will be like putting on a new pair of slippers that are identical in style to an old comfy, worn out pair; the music sounds familiar and is easy to warm to. Or you could go the other way and dislike the fact that the band has no identity of their own, instead "borrowing" heavily from a genre that is bursting with memorable songs.

Personally, I came down solidly in the first camp. Widow's Work is an entertaining album from an accomplished band. There are several great tracks here, but if I had to praise one it would have to be 'Warbirds'.

7

Nick Smithson