STONEBREAKERS are a Hard Rock band based out of Tromsø, Norway, and unfortunately beyond that, I'm a bit at a loss. Everything on the band including their Facebook bio is in Norwegian, and well, I'm not even a tiny bit fluent. So despite my best efforts, I'm left with a lot of questions about the band. Thankfully, music is the universal language, and STONEBREAKERS speak it well, if not with a bit of a 70's biker bar kinda inflection.

Sometimes all the clues are right there. Just take a glance at the song titles that make up this release. "Crank It Up", "Boogie Swing", "Let's Rock The Boat", "Young Wild and Free", Honky Tonk Blues"... if that doesn't clue you in to what this album is about, well, I'd say you're lying or maybe new to this type of music in general. "It's All About Rock and Roll" is chock full of swagger and bravado, done in a manner that screams  retro, vintage or whatever hip lingo the kids are using today. I kind of liked it despite my judgmental  inner music critic screaming that I shouldn't.

STONEBREAKERS capitalize on an ability to play straight forward rock riffs and throw their balls into it, damn the consequences. Vocalist Svein-Gunnar Johansen  sounds like he just might be on his deathbed at times, or perhaps collapsed on the floor of some tavern having seen better days, but giving it one last go. But somehow it works. The dual guitars showboat just enough, the anthemic choruses, while cheesy, still manage to  elevate the fun factor all while the rhythm section seems to be the glue holding things together. Think KISS meets THE RAMONES, meets THIN LIZZY conducting an impromptu jam in a small Norwegian bar. That's pretty much STONEBREAKERS.

It's a fun record, but not particularly memorable or distinctive. There's no real musical innovation or surprises here. It's well played, fairly well produced and carries with it a party atmosphere. Perfect for a friendly get together, a bar playlist/jukebox or house music in between live bands. To that end, I have no doubt STONEBREAKERS kick some serious ass live. As for "It's All About Rock and Roll", it's raucous, raw, a bit cheesy, a little juvenile and deceptively enjoyable.