Rose Hill Drive - Moon is the New Earth

Moon is the New Earth (2008, Megaforce) Rose Hill Drive's second studio album. **1/2

Many critics have already given Rose Hill Drive the flattering comment that they are like Cream; a power trio of sorts who do hard rock. Problem is, that's about all they have in common. Let's get this straight; Rose Hill Drive are not Cream. Cream were innovators, men who fully understood the blues, mixing it with the sounds of psychedelia and setting the stage for hard rock and heavy metal. Cream were masters of their craft in every sense of the word. I cannot say the same for Rose Hill Drive. Yes, all three are very talented with their instruments, particularly Daniel Sproul, who time and again exerts sheer force over the guitar, but in no way are Rose Hill Drive being innovative. What they understand is how to copy songs from the 70's hard rock and heavy metal acts - that's the music they understand. But like Wolfmother, not only do they never show their blues side, they almost tell us that they've no understanding of it. And that is why this music isn't very good, because to play hard rock you must understand the blues, the very foundation of that music itself. And to mix it in with some of the powerpop trends of today is not only lazy but idiotic, as it's been done a thousand times before. Better go back to basics, fellas, because this brand of rock is nothing more than a cheap imitation of the Darkness.