After catching Boulder’s attention with 2011’s Crooked River, an EP produced using recording resources given to them after winning CU’s Battle of the Bands, the West Water Outlaws return with the release of Real Killer. The amount of energy expounded in just seven songs is incredible to say the least. The tone of the Outlaws is an in-your-face beast, their studio work not straying far from the sound discovered at the band’s notoriously fast-paced and highly energetic live shows. Blake Rooker’s gritty vocals perfectly fit the band’s southern swagger and Will Buck’s fuzzy guitar riffs. An acoustic take of the title track truly exemplifies the enticing rawness layered throughout the entirety of the album, but the uncontested highlight of Real Killer is the Black Crowes-influenced “Misery Loves Company.” The eyebrow-raising introductory organ riff persists throughout the song, with moments where Chris Robinson might be mistaken for taking the lead. With the sure success of their second album, the West Water Outlaws must be looking forward to undoubtedly selling out the Fox Theater in the coming months.
—Charlie Anderson
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