Troublemaker - Waco

Troublemaker 

Waco
self-released; 2023

By Jamie Funk

Having withstood the test of time, Troublemaker consisting of Kat James (guitar/vocals), Robert Hampton (guitar/vocals), Mel Gilmore (drums/vocals) and Tony Hiebel (bass/vocals) has established itself as a veteran presence since its inception in 1982. This enduring rock band holds the title of being the longest-running group of its kind in the state of Texas. 

The band released a song called “Waco” which hits with a classic rock type flavor that feels like an anthem. They mention “Waco is a pop/rock song and was influenced by all of the issues and media coverage in the Waco area.” To my ears this is a rock ballad. It feels like a lot of the influence came from the late ’80s and early ’90s. 

The song starts with some cymbals and guitar but quickly the whole band enters into the mix. It sounds huge. The lead guitar soars and grabs your attention. They settle in the verse which is lush and fairly calming but you can feel a storm brewing. The guitar comes in again with distortion and James hits a higher octave. I loved the builds as well the anthemic chorus which soars higher and higher.

They get back to the verse under the two-minute mark and the song progresses with energy. The band more or less repeats the other parts but there's a wonderful breakdown around the three-minute mark. I thought the drumming was solid and the breakdown provided some space for the vocals. This leads to a killer guitar solo. The technical and creative skills were next level. They hit the chorus once more and end with an intimate and melancholy feeling.

​This is a great tune and a unique subject. The melodies were memorable and felt like an anthem that people would sing along with in an arena. I became a fan of this band after listening to this song and hope they release something new in the not too distant future.

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