Brad Marino – Extra Credit (Rum Bar Records / Beluga Records)

Brad Marino – Extra Credit (Rum Bar Records / Beluga Records)

Ever wonder what the guy from Mahogany Rush went on to do after appearing on ‘Axe Attack’? Nothing to do with this review but I was just wondering.  Anyways,  So, the guy from the Connections has gone and gotten himself a solo deal and hooked up with some of the finest record labels anywhere not just the good old US of A and he’s put out a long player entitled ‘Extra Credit’ with Kris Rodgers lending a hand.

So what’s he gonna do outside his day job seeing as he’s the guitarist, voice and songwriter in The Connections.  Well, that’s open to debate but unless he’s got a hidden penchant for writing disco tunes or jazz prog its gonna be just a variation on those power popping hooks and rockin’ and rollin’ tunes were used to and once the needle drops (or the laser kicks in) you get to hear just what a talent this guy is.  Not content with the gift of penning hook after hook or catchy melody after awesome harmony he manages pretty much everything on this apart from getting in fellow Rum Bar recording artist Kris Rodgers to layer in some piano and keys as well as pipe up with some vocal on a couple of tracks.

So let’s get into this bad boy. ‘Broken Clocks’ is an uptempo rocka and has some lush BV’s and that ragged rock n roll guitar riff that almost clean but just a little rough as it reels you in and before you know it your foot is tapping and nobody gives a shit that the solo is straight out of the Chuck Berry school of guitar licks 101 man this already makes me feel good and the first track hasn’t even finished yet.

Get a load of that barroom rock n roll on ‘No One Else Tried It’ its unoriginal for sure but man these cats just nail it from the twelve-bar to the ivory-tinkling to the bridge and gang vocals to the battle between the guitar and that keyboard on the solo its just timeless.

If the melodies and classy arrangments aren’t enough Brad has only gone and penned a track with Kurt Baker. Obviously ‘Wake Up Baby’ is brilliant power pop how could it not be?  I could go through each song heaping on the same superlatives but you should know the drill by now and the songs are so well crafted from the rapid riff of ‘From The Start’ to the new wave Attractions-esque of ‘Broken Record’ this record reminds me of The Speedways and their brilliant melodies well this could easily be a long lost overseas relative easily.  I also have to remind myself here that this record is almost truly a solo record as Brad plays everything bar the keys and organ as he leaves the tin the capable hands of Kris Rodgers.  Talent like this is a rare beauty, oh and he produced it too with Kris (makes you sick doesn’t it?)

To be fair it makes perfect sense and a nice tip of the hat to include ‘Bye Bye Johnny’ seeing as it clearly inspired the guitar solos throughout this record and I tell myself if you have to borrow something why not borrow from the best so hats off all round and cheers for the tunes Chuck and Brad for this excellent feel-good record I have in my hands now where are my shades?

Europeans buy it from Beluga Records Here

America, Rum Bar await your orders Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Gone but Not Forgotten RPM looks at one week in April

Gone but Not Forgotten RPM looks at one week in April

Wow, April managed to take plenty of Rock and Roll royalty over the years and this week sees the anniversaries of some pretty high profile legends as well as some really controversial figures.

The 5th of April 1994 was the day a global audience of MTV news watchers gawped on in horror at the news breaking that day saying Kurt Cobain had been found dead in his garage from a shotgun wound to the head.  such tragic circumstances for such a young man whilst he might have been a troubled man he did have a daughter he left behind.  Prior to his death Cobain was having problems over in Europe with his drug addiction and was hospitalised.  His band Nirvana were just about the biggest thing on the planet at the time as they headlined festivals and their third album had just sold millions globally  it seemed from the outside that he had everything he could possibly have wanted at his feet yet inside he just couldn’t cope and couldn’t see any way out of it other than to take his own life. The twenty-five years have just flown by who knows where he’d be in today’s musical climate and he and his band will forever be frozen in time having achieved so much in a relatively short space of time his music will live on. Buy Nirvana Here

Two days after Cobain checked out the music world lost another talented soul and cool cat that was Lee Brilleaux the chain-smoking, harmonica honkin’ frontman for the most excellent Dr. Feelgood. Born Lee John Collinson on the 10th of May 1952 the South African would be brought up in West London later moving with his family to Canvey Island where he would later carve out his own little spot in music history by forming Dr. Feelgood with Wilco Johnson in 1971.  He continued the band long after the departure of fellow co-founder Johnson up until his untimely death from Lymphoma in 94.  Probably most famous for their debut album ‘Down By The Jetty’ that no doubt influenced many in the new wave/pub rock scene that happened in the late 70’s early 80’s and the hit single ‘Milk & Alcohol’  which was a top ten single from the ‘Practice Practice’ album.  Its also true that he helped start Stiff records with a loan of £500. RIP Lee. Buy Dr Feelgood Here

On the sixth of April in ’98 lead singer of the Plasmatics the enigmatic larger than life frontwoman Wendy O Williams also took her own life with a shotgun.  Williams had relative success with her punk band the Plasmatics and their brand of shock rock which was a punk rock version of the Alice Cooper show with plenty of chaos and her iconic Mohawk she also famously sang a shambolic duet with Lemmy on ‘Stand By Your Man’ and the far better ‘No Class’.

Williams hailed from New York and is most known for her work with the Plasmatics as well as her solo albums but it was the punk band where she got the most notoriety after being arrested in several states for public indecency after appearing naked and simulating masturbation on stage she then took to wearing the gaffa tape over her nipples to avoid arrest. 

Anyway, after her duet with Lemmy, she got Gene Simmons to produce her ‘WOW’ solo album and got the members of kiss including Stanley to play on it.  In the later part of the 80’s she reformed The Plasmatics.  By the 90’s she’d had enough and retired with her partner to Connecticut where she worked with animals and shying away from any sort of public life she tried to take her own life by stabbing herself in the chest it wasn’t until the April of 98 that she went into the woods with a gun and took her own life leaving her partner a note.  Her passing shook the rock and roll community with the likes of Joey Ramone making a statement as well as her old friend Lemmy.  There was also a tribute concert put on at CBGB where the surviving members of The Plasmatics played a short set in her honour and even a few years ago Record Store Day reissued a record of Plasmatics tunes on a special 11″ disc back in 2014 entitled ‘Fuck n Roll’ (very original) so on the 6th of April raise a glass and play a Wendy O tune Rest In Peace Wendy O Williams ‘The Queen of Shock Rock’ Buy WoW Here

 

Also in April Per Yngve Ohlin died on the 8 April 1991. Committing suicide in possibly the most horrific way back in 91 Per was better known as ‘Dead’ lead throat for the Black Metal legends Mayhem. He also had a stint in Morbid and is infamously known as a pioneer in the Black Metal scene. He slit his own wrists and throat before blowing the top of his head off with a shotgun. He did leave a suicide note that ended with the words, “Excuse The Blood”! Don’t let it be said that Black Metal lacks a sense of humor no matter how dark. 

Euronymous found his bandmate and before contacting the police, he allegedly went to a shop and bought a disposable camera with then photographed the body of his bandmate.  Euronymous also put out there that he had made a stew with bits of Dead’s brain and had made necklaces with bits of his skull.  Euronymous claimed to have given these necklaces to musicians he thought worthy, which was confirmed by several other members of the scene, like Bård ‘Faust’ Eithun, Metalion, and Morgan Håkansson.  the pictures were developed in secret and kept at their record store Helvete before finding their way to the head of Warmaster Records in South America who used the picture on the cover of the Mayhem live album ‘Dawn Of The Black Hearts’ as incredible and fucked up as it sounds it was possibly the catalyst for a spiral of mayhem (no pun intended) within the scene that was already pretty fucked up but never the less made the band infamous in Heavy Metal circles and would see to it that Mayhem would be immortalized forever. Dark times indeed RIP young man. Buy Mayhem Here

Finally, we salute the passing of the Pistols Svengali the one the only Mr. Malcolm McLaren impresario, visual artist, performer, musician, clothes designer, master manipulator shop keeper. Born on 22nd of January 1946 he passed away on April the 8th 2010. At only 64 years old McLarens life was brought down by Cancer of the Abdomen Laid to rest in Higate Cemetry McLaren will be most remembered for his Rock and Roll Swindle and his master manipulation of the music world during the Sex Pistols brief time spearheading the punk movement of the late 70’s and narrating the Rock and Roll Swindle.  If you don’t know his story then where have you been Let it rock became ‘Sex’ which is where he assembled the Pistols and the rest, as they say, is History.

He did manage along the way to get arrested at the Queens Jubilee, fuck up the New York Dolls and replace Thunders with Blackie Lawless!! (Go figure)  Put together Bow wow wow with the then 13-year-old singer Annabella Lewin and also make Buffalo Girls go round the outside.  McLaren lived life to the full and whatever he turned his hand to seemed to be extremely successful at it. With almost a decade in the rear view mirror of life, we salute McLaren and his contribution to music RiP sir. Buy Malcolm McLaren Here

Eureka Machines drop new video

Eureka Machines drop new video

Revolution – Eureka Machines

The new video from Eureka Machines is here. It's called Revolution. Please share it about, you are our PR machine!Come see us play it live, along with tunes old and new:Sat 13 Apr – Glasgow AudioSun 14 Apr – Edinburgh BannermansThu 18 Apr – Manchester Gullivers (sold out, sorry)Fri 19 Apr – Wolverhampton HummingbirdSat 20 Apr – London BorderlineTickets over at http://www.eurekamachines.com/new/gigs.Thanks to our old pal AshTV Music Video for his continuing brilliance.

Posted by Eureka Machines on Sunday, 7 April 2019

The new video from Eureka Machines is here. It’s called Revolution. Please share it about, you are the PR machine!

Go see them play it live, along with tunes old and new:

Sat 13 Apr – Glasgow Audio
Sun 14 Apr – Edinburgh Bannermans
Thu 18 Apr – Manchester Gullivers (sold out, sorry)
Fri 19 Apr – Wolverhampton Hummingbird
Sat 20 Apr – London Borderline

Tickets over at http://www.eurekamachines.com/new/gigs.

Thanks to AshTV Music Video for his continuing brilliance.

Snowy White and the White Flames – The Situation

Snowy White and the White Flames – The Situation

It’s been 18 months since we last heard an album from Britain’s very own Snowy White. April 2019, we are presented with 12 new tracks from Snowy and co. You may know Snowy White from his days with Thin Lizzy (Chinatown and Renegade eras), his work with blues extraordinaire Peter Green or maybe even his time with Pink Floyd and later, Roger Waters.

Snowy describes The Situation as “my expression of where I was in 2018, up and down, good and bad, weak and strong – it’s all here, just doing my thing as usual, enjoying playing with all my musician friends”. Looks like we’re in for a reflective ride, let’s strap in!

Opening track “The Situation” holds down a steady groove around some dreamy, 60s esque vocals. Snowy isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but he’s not trying to. He’s doing what comes naturally, writing great, solid songs. Through the swirly textures, there are guitar harmonies that would sit nicely with his Thin Lizzy days. “This Feeling” is a slow, soul searching march through the human conscience, while there is some great, tasteful guitar playing in this track (Do I hear a slight Gilmore inspiration there?) I feel it lacks any real song structure.

Snowy, a guitar player by trade, needs a chance to shine. Instrumental track “L.A. Skip” takes us on a journey. It’s Spanish and Latin infused backing just transports you to a cantina bar, mojito in hand before we’re hit between the eyes with some fusion style guitar licks coupled with harmonies that sound like Carlos Santana has joined Thin Lizzy. This is a guitar players paradise.

“Can’t Seem to Do Much About It” has a great swagger. It reminds me in parts of a Stones-style track. Snowy’s guitar tone on this track is simply fantastic. It highlights the subtleties of his playing and allows you to really feel those notes. For a guitar player like this to not play some blues would be criminal so we dive headfirst into “Crazy Situation Blues”. I was always a fan of slower blues tracks and this is no different. Soft and gentle melodies flow between vocal lines and fragile, delicate guitar parts. As a guitar player, it’s hard not to hear the guitar tone on this track and not feel blown away.

“Blues in my Reflection” is a more upbeat stomp through the blues. The rhythm section is tight, the bass is thumping, the Hammond organ is singing and the guitar is wailing. What’s not to like?

“Who do I Still Have the Blues?” is another downtempo blues style track but there are many elements of Pink Floyd here. Snowy clearly took some inspiration from the Gilmore/Waters school of songwriting to craft this track. Let’s kick it up, “You Can’t Take It With You” takes us into a jazzy style shuffle, Snowy is showing off some of his more mind-bending guitar trickery here and crams an awful lot of song into less than 2 and a half minutes.

“Migration” by name, migration by nature. We’re back on that plane to Spain to embrace more Latin grooves and more brain twisting fusion playing. This track is another instrumental walk through just how good these guys can play together. Snowy isn’t playing with people who can get the job done, he’s playing with people who can PLAY!

“The Lying Game” covers the topic of people suffering and dying under a dithering political reign, somehow that feels strangely appropriate for modern times. A great song with a strong message to share.

“Hard Blues” is another great blues shuffle that showcases Snowy as a player. He’s able to weave in and out of the solid, thumping rhythm with some smooth guitar licks before rounding up with “I Can’t Imagine”. An epic ender for this album. It takes you on a journey as is builds up to the giant guitar solo of the middle track as it’s climax.

What really captivates me about this album is how Snowy and co have been able to place all the elements that we’d expect, keep it sounding relevant to their sound but amp it up with more modern production while maintaining the integrity and loose feel of days gone by. Bloody marvellous I say, bloody marvellous.

Author: Leigh Fuge

Buy Snowy White Here

 

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Well, it’s that time of the week again so why not take ten minutes our of your day say fuck it work can wait and enjoy these three songs we highly recommend starting with everyone’s favourite Australians who’ve been over here in the UK this past week.  a country so big its its own continent is really kicking out the jams lately with some superb bands so here’s our pick starting with Amyl & The Sniffers with easily the best mullets in music bar no one

Next up is the slackers and hipsters anthem of choice but we just know its quality punk rock ladies and gentlemen the second best mullets in rock n roll,  I wanted to show the new video for Pub Feed but felt it was a step too far to show the gratuitous footage of uncalled for sandals and socks combo Oi! Chats, sort it out. –

Finally ‘ave some tractor rock with the Cosmic Psycos and a song about all our towns –

Happy Birthday Izzy Stradlin

Happy Birthday Izzy Stradlin

Well, we don’t want to always be reporting sad passings of Rock n Rollers we love sometimes we should celebrate some of the good guys who’ve had a big influence on what we’ve listened to over the years so today we’re celebrating the Birthday of Jeffrey Dean Isbell born on this day in 1962 in  Lafayette, Indiana to an engraver and phone company worker.  His folks divorced when he was just eight years old.

 

His first instrument was a drum kit after he was influenced by his grandmother and this led him to form a band with a guy named William Bailey (W Axl Rose) which was the beginning of a magical journey that was to see the pair become two fifths of the biggest band in the world at the time. In 1980 he moved to California and formed a punk rock band.  By ’83 Isbell had left the drums behind and moved onto bass and ultimately the electric guitar it was around this time he reacquainted himself with Rose and wrote ‘Reckless Life’, ‘Anything Goes’ and ‘Shadow Of Your Love’ three of Guns n Roses best songs as it goes and ones that have stood the test of time. Hollywood Rose morphed into Guns N Roses and the rest, as they say, is history. Stradlin was always considered the cool Keith Richards like member of Guns and its believed to have been the driving force for their better songs.  ‘Sweet Child O’Mine’, ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Patience’ to name a few. After the phenomenal success of Appetite Stradlin sobered up (allegedly) and by the time the band reconvened to push Use Your Illusions one and two he was losing interest.  Still, he was responsible for the best songs on the albums with the likes of ‘Dust n’ Bones’, ‘Don’t Cry’ and ’14 Years’ Stradlin in true Rock and Roll fashion upped and fucked right out the door never to return. 

It wasn’t the last of him of course as we got the magnificent Ju Ju Hounds album as well as a string of less successful albums throughout the ’90s a few of which were only released in Japan and then some only via the internet or Itunes but if you wanted to investigate he was still writing excellent rock and roll albums no bloated rock operas for Izzy just good honest three minute rock and roll tunes.

 

He has since cropped up contributing to Velvet Revolver but declining the offer to join the band permanently then in 2006 he got up with his former band and played a couple of tunes at a show in New York City.  A year later he released two albums in twelve months the excellent ‘Miami’ only through iTunes then at the tail end of the year he knocked out ‘Fire’ and acoustic album which took his output to an impressive eighth album. There were a further two Internet-only albums by 2010 before he played on the debut solo album from Slash before blowing out the Rock and Roll hall of fame when the band was inducted and the attention-shy songwriter had Duff read out a prepared press statement.  He then refused to join the reformed Guns N Roses due to the money not being shared equally between the band and I’d like to think without Adler in the engine room it wasn’t really a Guns N Roses reunion, was it?  with only three-fifths of the line up reforming so again good on Stradlin’ for sticking to his guns (no pun intended). He also refused to join the band onstage after turning up for soundcheck at a show but it was never confirmed if it was the show that Adler played a couple of classic tunes on.

So, right up to the here and now Izzy remains active in Rock n Roll having cropped up on the last Mellencamp album guesting on ‘Grandview’ so who knows whats next – Me I’d love to see him do a few club dates in the UK with the Ju Ju Hounds and play that debut album in full now that would be something really special.  Izzy if you’re out there get in touch RPM Online loves ya and wishes you a Happy Birthday.

Buy Izzy Stradlin Music Here

Also on this day Donita Sparks,  L7 was born in 1963.  Happy Birthday, Donita.

Easy Like Sunday Morning – Bitch Queens Playlist

Easy Like Sunday Morning – Bitch Queens Playlist

When we were recently asked if we would share a playlist on Spotify for a band who are friends of ours I said sure without really knowing what Spotify is all about and whilst I’d much rather people buy the records or CD’s I understand that the face of music is changing quickly in this digital super fiber world we now live in so rather than be a dinosaur and close ourselves off we have to grit our teeth and jump into the middle of the superhighway and embrace this streaming world or get left behind.

 

I know the artists get a shitty deal and that should change but if people are at least playing decent tunes by decent bands they might not otherwise hear then it can’t all be bad.  We would like to state right here right now that if you do hear any bands you like then please support the artists by picking up the album a song is played from or a shirt or go see a show of theirs if they pass through your town.

 

Starting with Basel’s Bitch Queens and their playlist of High Energy Rock and Roll check it out at the link

 

In case you don’t know who Bitch Queens are here check this out –

Märvel – ‘Guilty Pleasures’ (The Sign Records)

Märvel – ‘Guilty Pleasures’ (The Sign Records)

The definition of a guilty pleasure is “something that one enjoys despite feeling that is not generally held in high regard”. That’s the story of my life right there! And yours too probably if you are reading this.

Swedish trio Märvel know the score. Here, they embrace the odd and the not so odd, with their 8th album ‘Guilty Pleasures’. A 10 track covers album that pays tribute to their varied influences, some you will know, others you will wish you had known years ago, and all of them you will enjoy. From bizarre Swedish pop acts, to 70’s US radio classics, onto 90’s modern rock, Märvel have all bases covered and manage to make everything they tackle sound so fuckin’ cool in the process.

 

Let’s get one thing sorted from the off, Märvel sound like The Hellacopters. So much so, I would put money on Nicke Andersson having his leather-heeled boot in the door of this band. The true identities of the band members are a closely guarded secret, but one thing’s for sure, this masked trio comprising of The King (guitar and vocals), The Vicar (drums) and The Burgher (bass) kick serious ass on everything they do. If you haven’t seen or heard their version of WASP’s ‘Love Machine’ get it on YouTube before you read another word.

They open this album in style with a Kiss track. But not a well known classic from their 70’s heyday, that would be way too easy. ‘All For The Glory’ is probably the strongest track from their 2009 album ‘Sonic Boom’. It’s the perfect cover for Märvel, as the original (sung by drummer Eric Singer) actually already hints at that 90’s Scandinavian sound. Here, it is gloriously reinterpreted, complete with killer riffs and bang on Kiss style backing vocals. Sounding bigger, faster and better than the original, its high octane rock ‘n’ roll the way it should be delivered.

 

Elsewhere, they tackle 70’S AOR with ease. Giving a massive injection of rock ‘n’ roll cool with incendiary guitars and swagger to the likes of REO Speedwagon’s ‘Keep Pushin’ and Toto’s ‘Girl Goodbye’ making them sound 100 times better than the originals.

‘Ten O’clock Postman’ is a definite guilty pleasure. A 1980 Euro hit for Swedish disco/ synthpoppers Secret Service. Here, Märvel takes that poptastic chorus to another level, there’s even cowbell thrown in for good measure. And is it really possible to better Monster Magnet at their own game? Märvel pulls out all the stops to bring their own twist to ‘Powertrip’ and give Dave Wyndorf and co a run for their money.

‘Can’t Shake Loose’, this is an Imperial State Electric tune, right? No, it was a hit single for Agnetha Faltskog (the blonde bird from ABBA) in 1983 and was actually written by Russ Ballard, who of course wrote all sorts of rock ‘n’ roll awesomeness back in the day. So it’s no surprise this is the most rock ‘n’ roll song on offer and one of two that I keep playing and playing. The other being a killer version of ‘Sultans Of Swing’.

How they manage to make Dire Straits sound like Kiss is unbelievable. The swing has left the building and the overdrive is set to stun on this version. They change the whole feel of the song by changing the rhythm. Listen to that bass boogie, the unmistakeable Frehley-like guitar wail and the ‘Black Diamond’ styled backing vocals. Make no mistake, everything Märvel touches turns to gold.

They do the King himself justice by taking ‘Burning Love’ up a notch before finishing with a staple of 70’s US radio fodder in the form of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Hoochie Koo’.

 

Märvel go a long way to prove that good songs are everywhere. It’s all in the production and delivery. Forget your prejudice and look below the surface of your own guilty pleasures and you too could compile Märvel’s next covers opus. But for now ‘Guilty Pleasures’ is actually essential listening and a whole lotta fun. Put it on and you won’t be able to turn it up loud enough.

Buy ‘Guilty Pleasures’ Here

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

Electric Eel Shock/Deathtraps – Cardiff, The Moon – 28th March 2019

Electric Eel Shock/Deathtraps – Cardiff, The Moon – 28th March 2019

Newport’s Deathtraps seem to be popping up all over the place at the moment, and if they keep this rate of gigs up I’ll have seen them more than Accept before the Summer is out. Its all very positive stuff for the band though as even just a short month on from my last review of them right here on RPM they’ve already added a thundering new track to their setlist, its one all about covers bands called ‘Play The One We Know’ perhaps their catchiest tune to date too. There’s no fear of them getting that call here in The Moon though, No Siree, as this has to be one of the coolest underground venues I’ve attended recently, and I can only but wonder how it’s taken me so long to discover it. You see the punters here tonight are all craving original live music, and that’s why the noisy bastards otherwise known as Veej, Fraser and Bullet Von Deathtrap are instantly doing brisk business over on their merch stall straight after they finish delivering their dirty deeds.

I have to admit I knew very little about Electric Eel Shock before tonight, well nothing other than they used to be briefly signed to Gearhead (which is always a good sign) and that they come from Japan. In saying this it takes them approximately 20 seconds of opener ‘Suicide Rock & Roll’ to have me whooping it up down the front with the diehards (of which there are a considerable amount) as I’m immediately won over by the band’s infectious charm.

I mean how could you not instantly love a band that has within its ranks one Tomoharu Ito, a nude drummer (well nude albeit for a sock on his cock that he stretches out to aid his headbanging at appropriate times during their set) someone who also uses 4 drumsticks live – two in each hand. Add to this a bass player (Kazuto Maekawa) who is one of the coolest looking four stringers this side of Dee Dee Ramone and a singer (Akihito Morimoto) who also plays a Flying V (when he’s not trying to eat it) like an in his prime Randy Rhodes. You put all of this in the mix and I’m sure you will agree you have a mighty musical proposition at hand.

It’s the organised chaos the band call songs that really add the icing on the garage rock cake though and with Akihito ironically boasting that in spite of the fact that it had been three years since the band last played Cardiff they had written two songs during that time, I can’t help but chuckle at the band’s self-deprecating humour whilst grooving along to tracks like ‘So Much 80s’, ‘Red Devil’ and ‘Favourite No 9’. Electric Eel Shock (like most of us here at RPM) certainly love their cheesy metal and there are a few times tonight where I can almost feel a human pyramid coming on amongst my RPM gig going amigos.

Keeping it short (which you must have to be to actually play The Moon and the celling is bloody low) but very sweet Electric Eel Shock leave us with the instant classic  ‘Metal Man’ a track that brings back memories of when I first heard 44 Magnum’s iconic ‘Street Rock’N Roller’ album, and you ain’t gonna see that reference in many reviews anytime soon that’s for sure. Then again there really aren’t very many bands out there like Electric Eel Shock, to miss them live really is a crime, one I’m thankfully no longer guilty off.

 

Author: Johnny Hayward

The Quireboys – Amazing Disgrace (Off Yer Rocka Records)

The Quireboys – Amazing Disgrace (Off Yer Rocka Records)

The Quireboys aren’t the sort of band who are going to drop this years hottest, Radio 1 friendly album, but then again, we wouldn’t want them to be. When I hear of new Quireboys material, I want to hear raw, bluesy rock and roll. And boy… do they deliver it.

‘Original Black Eyed Son’ is a great kick-off track. I heard this song for the first time this week, live in Cardiff on their current tour with FM. It’s got all the swagger you’d expect from Spike and the boys, wrapped up in a bluesy track that would make The Black Crowes envious.

I’m a sucker for a good slide guitar part and ‘Sinner’s Serenade’ gives me just that. After all these years, this band can still rock and roll with the best of them.

‘Seven Deadly Sins’ has a fantastic groove. There’s a definite Aerosmith vibe here, the bouncy rhythm reminds me of ‘Last Child’ from the Rocks album. How can you not bob your head to this?

I’m only 4 songs in now with ‘Amazing Disgrace’ and while this record is absolutely a Quireboys record, it certainly feels that the band have experimented a little with some of the songs. This sounds like a record that the band really enjoyed making. Fantastic chorus on this song, that’s a crowd singalong waiting to happen.

Having spent some time on the road with the band myself as a support act, I’ve seen them play a few country tinged tunes live and in soundchecks, ‘Eve of the Summertime’ is the next in line of the band exploring that world. If you didn’t expect The Quireboys to pull off country, think again. Spike’s rough and ready voice is perfect for the screaming rock and roll the band is known for, but he is by no means a one trick pony. His voice is pure honesty and a track like this really lets you get into that feeling.

A sweeping piano intro takes us into ‘California Blues’, this harks back to the early Quireboys sound. This is feel-good summertime rock played the way it should be. We might’ve explored country a little on this album so far, but ‘This Is It’ takes us even deeper. Spike regularly commands a YEEHAW from the band’s audience, perhaps we’re listening to the next YEEHAW track for the bands live show?

‘Feels Like A Long Time’ sounds like a classic track from this band. This could sit next to any of the big players in the bands set. It’s got the swagger; it’s got the blues and it’s got the big chorus!

The band dives into a more hard-edged rock stomp on ‘Slave Number One’. This is certainly a head bobber of a track, the riff commands you to do so. How do you follow a hard rock song? Easy, with  another country flavoured song. ‘Dancing in Paris’ is a tender look at falling in love for the weekend. Spike once again showing that behind that hard living, rock and roll machine, sits a tender soul. His emotive and fragile vocal sound hooks you in to every single word. He’s been one of my favourite vocalists for so long for this exact reason.

‘Medusa My Girl’ rounds off this eleven track slammer from the band. This song certainly feels like a departure for the bands typical sound, it’s great to hear them venture into new sonic spaces. This has an almost celtic feel to some of the melodies, it’s not all beer drinking and hell raising with there guys!

I’ve always loved this band, I’ve always been a fan and I’ve not really disliked any part of their back catalogue, but this album to me feels like a massive step up. The band sound like they’re having the best time of their lives and I think that shows in this collection of songs. There are new textures and colours here, while still maintaining the fact that it’s a Quireboys album that is going to kick your ass.

Buy ‘Amazing Disgrace’: Here

Author: Leigh Fuge