Electric! (Buzzing sounds accompanied by sparks.) Yes, sometimes we all require a bit of a jolt to put the funk back in our step; that dose of high voltage to the nads. And what better way to energise the soul than to attach one's jumper cables to some good music? For some, there isn't one.

Some bands just have that spark - an ability to get the party going if you may. Granted, some eras see more of such musical felicity than others, but nonetheless, there is always a band within any given generation that doesn't need a set of coils to put a spring in your step. IN VOLT are one such band. This French quartet are a ball of pure kinetic Hard Rock energy stuck in an overcharged bubble of their own devices, and on their sophomore creation "Free", they are inviting us to step inside and jump around with them.

 Opening up with the title track the band set off to draw the line between the 80's and 90's Hard Rock scenes. Upon getting a whiff of the bouquet you get hints of the piping, trouble-making ways of anything that's been touched by the likes of Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth, along with a full clip of Funk Rock loaded by hints of the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. "I'm Down" carries on in much the same vein, high-kicking with sharp drum rhythms and tasty riffs, and brings more catchiness than a quarantined zone.

And it doesn't stop. IN VOLT are on mission to burn out all the filaments in any given venue with tracks "Here I Am" and  "Calm Down", both of which pack more groove than an uneven surface (not my best punchline). Yet what sets this band apart from the obvious influencers like L.A. GUNS and BULLETBOYS, is the maturity of their sound - particularly on the gut-grabbing, grungy ballad "Harvest" and the BLACK CROWES-esque jam "Light" - which makes IN VOLT's sound just border between the two eras and sample the ingredients from both bowls in order to create a perfect blend of Hard Rock; very much as it was once done by the short-lived but nonetheless noteworthy MOTHER LOVE BONE. And if you listen all the way until the end and come upon the closer "That's Alright", you may even be surprised to find a riff that sounds unapologetically like SONIC YOUTH's "Sugar Kane", an influence that most certainly consolidates the degree of how difficult it is to put a finger on this band's sound - never mind their beating pulse.

In addition to the being a great record, "Free" is a great-sounding record. The production is fantastic. The blend of the crispy-clean instrumentation and lively vocals is the thing of the finest Scotch whiskeys, and the performances of the boys in the band are only there to match it.

Overall - gear up for amplification. "Free" is a powerhouse record that will blow any fuse in sight. IN VOLT's sophomore effort sees the band continue to fry the circuits with their high energy blend of Funk and Hard Rock.