The Broken Creels – Killing On The Rail Line (2024)
Almost one year and hundreds of submissions ago, I came across an alternative rock band from Scotland and for some reason, their song stuck in my head. Perhaps it was the odd band name or, according to Kim Wilde, the group’s music is very powerful; whatever the reason, The Broken Creels fixed themselves in my mind. Drawing together the skills of award-winning singer-songwriter Colin Clyne (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Tom Ward (guitar and keyboards), Lee Heinemann (bass guitar), and Daz Alexander (drums), The Broken Creels is a melting pot of diverse influences, experiences and inspiration. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Killing On The Rail Line’.
The first release since chart-topping debut single ‘Friend Or Foe’, The Broken Creels hit the ground running with ‘Killing On The Rail Line’ – their first release in 2024. Shifting from an alternative rock song leaning toward 90s rock, ‘Killing On The Rail Line’ weaves slivers of Americana and classic rock in their signature alt-rock tone.
Heavier than ‘Friend Or Foe’, ‘Killing On The Rail Line’ drags together scorching guitars, crashing drums, hard-hitting bass and Clyne’s gruff vocals in both a distorted clash and harmonic symphony. For me, at least, the massive onslaught of rock music jumps up and bites you with each instrument demanding attention. Powerful guitar riffs stand alongside pounding drums (which progress to crashing as the song continues); however, the boldness of the instruments all form a strong foundation for the single’s theme. Clyne explains:
“We had the music ready, and it was crying out for a gruesome story to go hand in hand with it. I’d heard about the unsolved 1983 murder of Aberdeen taxi driver George Murdock, who was killed by the railway line not too far from where I lived growing up, and that inspired the line “call the papers, there’s been a killing on the rail line”. However, I felt George’s killing was a little too close to home for comfort, so I decided to look further afield, which is when I read about The Railroad Killer and his gruesome killing. As I wrote the lyrics they bled perfectly into the music.”
The melody in itself leaves you gasping for breath as it rushes past, but it is Clyne’s vocals that bind everything with a gritty bow. Rich and warm, yet brash and vulnerable, you are seduced by Clyne and rocked about by The Broken Creels.
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