Let’s be clear: Laura Cox is a guitarist who plays at volumes usually reserved for arguments or jet engines. She didn’t spend years cultivating a viral presence to release a tame, mid-tempo ballad collection. The title track, Trouble Coming, is proof of that viral spark erupting into full-blown chaos. It’s loud, raw, and packed with enough distorted heart to power a small European nation.
The album thrives on the thrill of excess and the delicious point where letting go teeters between liberation and self-destruction. It’s the moment you slam the pedal to the metal, ready to face whatever comes next.
The statement piece, Do I Have Your Attention?, hits like a pub door in a storm. This riff-driven powerhouse is unapologetically heavy and designed to rattle any venue larger than a garden shed. Cox pairs raw guitar fury with a chorus that demands a sing-along—or perhaps a sing-off. Confrontational party rock at its finest.
If that’s the reckless dare, No Need To Try Harder brings the swagger that precedes it. It showcases Cox’s “complete freedom in writing,” fusing classic rock heart—think Black Crowes and AC/DC—with a modern punch that keeps every note urgent. The guitar tone is dialed to perfection, tubes practically glowing white-hot right in your face.
What sets Trouble Coming apart from mere noise is the depth beneath the chugging power. Tracks like Inside the Storm and What Do You Know? explore the wreckage left in the band’s wake, while Dancing Around the Truth locks in a groove-heavy rhythm that makes every riff matter. Even when the guitars saturate the soundscape, Cox ensures every note carries weight.
Classic rock structure grounds the album at every turn, from the bluesy propulsion of Out Of The Blue to the anthemic surge of Rise Together. Meanwhile, quieter moments—The Broken and the reflective closer Strangers Someday—offer breath between the sonic assaults. It’s a sign of maturity: Cox knows how to build walls of sound, and just as importantly, when to carve a window through them.
Trouble Coming is for anyone who loves rock loud, honest, and built on genuine guitar chops. It’s modern, yet fueled by the spirit of ’77. If you’re looking for subtle background noise, buy a fountain. But if you want a firebrand who demands your attention, you’ve found her.
Laura Cox’s new album Trouble Coming is released by earMUSIC on Friday, October 31st, and is available at www.earmusic.com
and www.lauracoxmusic.com.