The Black Moods

This Arizona power trio’s opening shot is a solid rock record, a half-hour of alternative-sounding rock that feels longer and more involved than that short run time suggests. Elements of ’90s alt-rock (STP, most notably), modern-day Nickelback (in sound and thankfully not lyrics) and Arctic Monkeys, and even a bit of blues influence all coalesce into an appealing whole.

Grunge holdovers like “Give It to Me” and garage rockers “Serves You Right,” “Like a Wave” and “Can’t Sleep at Night” all could be good first singles; each one is a punchy, smart track with no pretension and just enough attitude to mask the vague feeling that one has heard this before. “Get Off My Back” and “Torn Up Dress” both have a swagger that recalls a diluted Guns ‘n’ Roses (so, Velvet Revolver), while “Don’t Let Them Get You Down” veers briefly into Daughtry-ballad territory, but thankfully Joshua Kennedy is smart enough to avoid the plodding midtempo pablum of the former’s songs.

The best number here is “Hey You,” which updates the classic ’90s rock sound for the present day, Kennedy’s sarcastic vocals and the guitars ringing together as one before a brief, effective solo. The staccato chorus break after that solo drives the song home, but the difference of light and shade, the subtle details woven in, elevate the piece above most standard rock fare.

“Judge Me” closes this out with a hybrid blues that would have fit in nicely on Stone Temple Pilots, that band’s 2010 reunion disc (though without Scott Weiland’s smirk). Kennedy and the rhythm section have created a dynamic – if somewhat derivative – piece of work here that deserves to be heard. Loud, preferably. - Daily Vault

This Arizona power trio’s opening shot is a solid rock record, a half-hour of alternative-sounding rock that feels longer and more involved than that short run time suggests. Elements of ’90s alt-rock (STP, most notably), modern-day Nickelback (in sound and thankfully not lyrics) and Arctic Monkeys, and even a bit of blues influence all coalesce into an appealing whole.

Grunge holdovers like “Give It to Me” and garage rockers “Serves You Right,” “Like a Wave” and “Can’t Sleep at Night” all could be good first singles; each one is a punchy, smart track with no pretension and just enough attitude to mask the vague feeling that one has heard this before. “Get Off My Back” and “Torn Up Dress” both have a swagger that recalls a diluted Guns ‘n’ Roses (so, Velvet Revolver), while “Don’t Let Them Get You Down” veers briefly into Daughtry-ballad territory, but thankfully Joshua Kennedy is smart enough to avoid the plodding midtempo pablum of the former’s songs.

The best number here is “Hey You,” which updates the classic ’90s rock sound for the present day, Kennedy’s sarcastic vocals and the guitars ringing together as one before a brief, effective solo. The staccato chorus break after that solo drives the song home, but the difference of light and shade, the subtle details woven in, elevate the piece above most standard rock fare.

“Judge Me” closes this out with a hybrid blues that would have fit in nicely on Stone Temple Pilots, that band’s 2010 reunion disc (though without Scott Weiland’s smirk). Kennedy and the rhythm section have created a dynamic – if somewhat derivative – piece of work here that deserves to be heard. Loud, preferably. - Daily Vault

Vengeance, cries, fun, and great music are basically the four elements that define this band and especially this record.

The Black Moods’ self-titled album kicks off with “Can’t Sleep At Night,” as energy, a sort of sarcastic feeling, and guitar riffs explode and combine with all the other instruments and vocals that remind us of Arctic Monkeys meets The Strokes. “Serves You Right,” “Get Off My Back,” and “Hey You” keep on with the same power, this time tending more toward The Vines meets Matchbox Twenty with a little bit of Bush. The last two tracks have more of the latter two bands, especially in the anger mixed with grooviness.

Now I just mentioned Arctic Monkeys and Bush. Well, it is exactly in “Give It To Me” that we can feel some of these influences in the song, including in the vocals where we can hear some Rossdale. It’s less fun and more aggressive. The guitar riffs and drums shine through the whole song. The same thing happens in “Like A Wave.”

“Don’t Let Them Get You Down” finally breaks with the same old sound that I was afraid the band would end up getting stuck on. Here you’ll find what looks to be a more pop sound as in Boys Like Girls and if you pay attention you can even hear some country in it. “The Only One” goes for a more Everclear cheers Matchbox Twenty where you can hear Rob Thomas in the vocals.

“Torn Up Dress” once again brings those smooth, almost sexy, funky, groovy guitar riffs and some effects are simply perfect and will get you dancing. “Judge Me” almost has the same elements, but this time there’s a subtle bluesy vibe in it that once again helps the band and the record maintain a certain dynamic.

In conclusion, here’s a record that might not be the most original of all time but it is worth listening to. Surely it will make you want to listen several times and you might even end up having some favourite tracks and becoming a fan, and in the end isn’t that what all bands want?
- Vents Magazine

Vengeance, cries, fun, and great music are basically the four elements that define this band and especially this record.

The Black Moods’ self-titled album kicks off with “Can’t Sleep At Night,” as energy, a sort of sarcastic feeling, and guitar riffs explode and combine with all the other instruments and vocals that remind us of Arctic Monkeys meets The Strokes. “Serves You Right,” “Get Off My Back,” and “Hey You” keep on with the same power, this time tending more toward The Vines meets Matchbox Twenty with a little bit of Bush. The last two tracks have more of the latter two bands, especially in the anger mixed with grooviness.

Now I just mentioned Arctic Monkeys and Bush. Well, it is exactly in “Give It To Me” that we can feel some of these influences in the song, including in the vocals where we can hear some Rossdale. It’s less fun and more aggressive. The guitar riffs and drums shine through the whole song. The same thing happens in “Like A Wave.”

“Don’t Let Them Get You Down” finally breaks with the same old sound that I was afraid the band would end up getting stuck on. Here you’ll find what looks to be a more pop sound as in Boys Like Girls and if you pay attention you can even hear some country in it. “The Only One” goes for a more Everclear cheers Matchbox Twenty where you can hear Rob Thomas in the vocals.

“Torn Up Dress” once again brings those smooth, almost sexy, funky, groovy guitar riffs and some effects are simply perfect and will get you dancing. “Judge Me” almost has the same elements, but this time there’s a subtle bluesy vibe in it that once again helps the band and the record maintain a certain dynamic.

In conclusion, here’s a record that might not be the most original of all time but it is worth listening to. Surely it will make you want to listen several times and you might even end up having some favourite tracks and becoming a fan, and in the end isn’t that what all bands want?
- Vents Magazine

Hailing from Tempe, Arizona are classic Rock n Rollers The Black Moods. Don’t let their name fool you, these guys are an upbeat dose of fun all wrapped up in a neat little package of kick-ass.

Combining some classic style vocals and classy riffs, The Black Moods have a cool way of making what sound is like and what it is meant to be. Vocalist and guitarist Joshua Kennedy knows how to work his way around a melody, supported by bassist Ryan Prier and drummer Danny “Chico” Diaz, backing him up as they make their way down rock n roll avenue in a Cadillac made of old school energy. The rolling vocals on “Can’t Sleep a Night” ring with an air of nostalgia whilst the drums and bass lock-in tight. “Like a Wave” has a dark riff reminiscent of Jimmy Page’s crafty guitar work. “Hey You” is sure to spring a late 90's rock revival. Interestingly enough, to our team in the land down-under, it sounds like Australian pub rock; and there’s nothing in the world like Australian Pub Rock! The Black Moods are on tour through the next month to support their self-titled debut record. With songs like these, they are bound for international success, but more importantly, they are nominated RockRevolt Magazine’s Indie Band of the Week! - Rock Revolt Magazine

Hailing from Tempe, Arizona are classic Rock n Rollers The Black Moods. Don’t let their name fool you, these guys are an upbeat dose of fun all wrapped up in a neat little package of kick-ass.

Combining some classic style vocals and classy riffs, The Black Moods have a cool way of making what sound is like and what it is meant to be. Vocalist and guitarist Joshua Kennedy knows how to work his way around a melody, supported by bassist Ryan Prier and drummer Danny “Chico” Diaz, backing him up as they make their way down rock n roll avenue in a Cadillac made of old school energy. The rolling vocals on “Can’t Sleep a Night” ring with an air of nostalgia whilst the drums and bass lock-in tight. “Like a Wave” has a dark riff reminiscent of Jimmy Page’s crafty guitar work. “Hey You” is sure to spring a late 90's rock revival. Interestingly enough, to our team in the land down-under, it sounds like Australian pub rock; and there’s nothing in the world like Australian Pub Rock! The Black Moods are on tour through the next month to support their self-titled debut record. With songs like these, they are bound for international success, but more importantly, they are nominated RockRevolt Magazine’s Indie Band of the Week! - Rock Revolt Magazine

The Black Moods are a hard rock/pop rock 3-piece band from Arizona. The first thing that I noticed about the group is that they do a good job at blending together classic rock sounds of the 70s while still retaining a modern and relevant sound with plenty of hooks and catchy choruses. It's clear that they're big fans of older bands as the CD is stylized as vinyl.

None of the 10 tracks overstay their welcome with only a few clocking over the 3 minute mark. This helps the songs keep their memorable qualities about them; none of them seem dragged out and no parts seem out of place or excessive. The songs themselves are pretty solidly written. I have to say my one gripe would be that some of the main riffs sound kind of re-hashed. In the hard rock genre, it's kind of tough to write a single-note riff that doesn't sound like it's ripping off other bands. That is present in a song like "Serves You Right" or "Give it to Me." Both of the songs lean on a bluesy single note riff for a good portion of the duration. However, I believe the band is able to inject enough of their own sound and flare to make this their own. The chorus on "Serves You Right" is instantly memorable and was one of my favorite points on the disc. They almost have a modern alternative sound (at points it reminds me of Our Lady Peace) that meshes with the old school hard rock seamlessly.

The band lives up to their name at points. They can get a really dark and atmospheric sound, which is most prominent on two songs back to back called "Get Off My Back" and "Hey You." The bridge of "Get Off My Back" has a slow, melancholic, minor chord progression and has the lyrics "Should I take this pill? While everything that you brought rusts." Directly after this is a ripping solo, my favorite solo on the record. "Hey You" starts off with the line "Bodies stacking up from a killing spree/Then again it could be in my head, it's in my head." Another progression is played that's similar to the previous song's bridge, but it's layered with an acoustic guitar that sounds eerily beautiful. The choruses in this track are more upbeat, which shows the bands ability to play off of dynamics.

"Don't Let Them Get You Down" is more or less the ballady, 'radio friendly' type song on this album. Primarily an acoustic and clean electric pop rock song, it showcases a different side of the band. "The Only One" has that sleazy, down-and-dirty rock sound of bands like Guns N' Roses and Ugly Kid Joe. The main riff plods along like a walk down a dark alley, and the choruses explode with energy and hooks.

Overall, if you're a fan of any 70s, 80s, or early 90s hard rock, modern alternative bands, or both there's something for you on this record. Although at some points a few of the riffs may seem too familiar, but The Black Moods put enough of their stamp on this one to make it worth a listen. This is an example of a newer, smaller band doing a full-length record right. - Stereo Killer

The Black Moods are a hard rock/pop rock 3-piece band from Arizona. The first thing that I noticed about the group is that they do a good job at blending together classic rock sounds of the 70s while still retaining a modern and relevant sound with plenty of hooks and catchy choruses. It's clear that they're big fans of older bands as the CD is stylized as vinyl.

None of the 10 tracks overstay their welcome with only a few clocking over the 3 minute mark. This helps the songs keep their memorable qualities about them; none of them seem dragged out and no parts seem out of place or excessive. The songs themselves are pretty solidly written. I have to say my one gripe would be that some of the main riffs sound kind of re-hashed. In the hard rock genre, it's kind of tough to write a single-note riff that doesn't sound like it's ripping off other bands. That is present in a song like "Serves You Right" or "Give it to Me." Both of the songs lean on a bluesy single note riff for a good portion of the duration. However, I believe the band is able to inject enough of their own sound and flare to make this their own. The chorus on "Serves You Right" is instantly memorable and was one of my favorite points on the disc. They almost have a modern alternative sound (at points it reminds me of Our Lady Peace) that meshes with the old school hard rock seamlessly.

The band lives up to their name at points. They can get a really dark and atmospheric sound, which is most prominent on two songs back to back called "Get Off My Back" and "Hey You." The bridge of "Get Off My Back" has a slow, melancholic, minor chord progression and has the lyrics "Should I take this pill? While everything that you brought rusts." Directly after this is a ripping solo, my favorite solo on the record. "Hey You" starts off with the line "Bodies stacking up from a killing spree/Then again it could be in my head, it's in my head." Another progression is played that's similar to the previous song's bridge, but it's layered with an acoustic guitar that sounds eerily beautiful. The choruses in this track are more upbeat, which shows the bands ability to play off of dynamics.

"Don't Let Them Get You Down" is more or less the ballady, 'radio friendly' type song on this album. Primarily an acoustic and clean electric pop rock song, it showcases a different side of the band. "The Only One" has that sleazy, down-and-dirty rock sound of bands like Guns N' Roses and Ugly Kid Joe. The main riff plods along like a walk down a dark alley, and the choruses explode with energy and hooks.

Overall, if you're a fan of any 70s, 80s, or early 90s hard rock, modern alternative bands, or both there's something for you on this record. Although at some points a few of the riffs may seem too familiar, but The Black Moods put enough of their stamp on this one to make it worth a listen. This is an example of a newer, smaller band doing a full-length record right. - Stereo Killer