Blimey, just 2 weeks after naming the new Uni Boys platter as potential power pop album of the year, along comes Brad Marino and wipes away the competition with his 5th solo record ‘Agent Of Chaos’. The former frontman of The Connection has released a bunch of quality albums over the past few years. And the singer/songwriter from Rochester, New Hampshire returns with your new soundtrack to the summer.
I’m not exaggerating when I say ‘Agent Of Chaos’ is choc-a-block with potential hits. Killer first single ‘Voodoo’ is power pop royalty with Marino’s signature twangy telecaster, 3 chords and a ridiculously catchy hook. It’s got the magic ingredients all power pop aficionados desire.
The radio friendly vibe continues with the 60’s pop of ‘Dissin’ & Dissmissin’ and the brilliant ‘Devil May Care’, what a joy it must be to have songs this good in your arsenal at this point in your career. Songs designed to be sung with a smile as you cruise the highway with the top down and the volume up.
Ok, imagine if late 80’s glam rock legends The Soho Roses had kept it together long enough to make a sophomore album? The likes of ‘Blowing Smoke’, ‘I Don’t Want You Anymore’ and the dark and delirious anti-anthem ‘Murder and Violence’ coulda been outtakes. On ‘Agent Of Chaos’ I hear that long-lost cult band as much as I hear The Ramones. Mind you, The Soho Roses were heavily influenced by Ramones and The Buzzcocks, so it sorta makes perfect sense.
Elsewhere, the more punky ‘Sick Of You’ and ‘Lost Without You’ are about as Ramones as you can get without actually being called The Ramones. Brad knows the formula and he ain’t about to stray too far from the road (to ruin). The vocals, the guitars, the delivery and the sentiment…it’s spot on.
It’s criminal really that an album this good by a great songwriter will go largely unnoticed by the general music buying public, but hey, it’s a familiar story. But Brad Marino has released another banger and ‘Agent Of Chaos’ is essential listening.
One thing you can do to help, is buy the goddamn record, and you can thank me later.
Author: Ben Hughes
Recent Comments