Los Angeles California so much to answer for but thankfully one of them isn’t Hammered Satin. Taking Smash Fashion and Giuda to the next level and channeling the Gypsy Rollers. The next level is to time warp – time machine these four lifers in all their glam-tastic -high heeled stomping glittery rock n roll finery ala sweet meets Bolan meets the glitter band with extra plumes of feather boa and I might add stints in some pretty cool bands form their CV’s such as the Zeros, Flamin’ Groovies, Flytraps, S’cool Girls and Teachers Pet. this is going to be one hell of a ride!
Sure as shit stinks they have a track called ‘Dynamite’ that does indeed have sound effects of explosions with one with extra glitter for the finale and hand claps and added slap on that snare drum. Man, this is unashamed retro Rock and Roll. Fuck me song titles that include words like ‘Candy’ ‘Sugar’ ‘Velvet’ ‘Starchild’ ‘Silver’ Satin’ Stomp’ they just about tick every box that has been left unopened properly since the ’70s. ITs like every Top Of The Pops album got warped in the sun and melted into one (not so) original album. Did he just say lollipop and bubblegum in the same sentence? Of course he did the songs entitled ‘Cand Sugar Baby’ for fuck’s sake!
Sure there’s nothing remotely original here its simply glam stomping fun. a lot of that glam hasn’t been used this brazenly for decades and why not? Damn, they take huge lumps of Bolan and Glitter and make it their own in 2019 and I’m good with that the title track is pure Bolan and why not they’ve even borrowed his lyric book and backing vocal tapes. Giuda went there but with double denim and tried to tough it out with a bit of street thrown in but Hammered Satin go the full hog mog and set fire to the double denim and go straight for the thrift store bellbottoms and silver platforms.
‘Silver Streak’ is about a bike (of course it is) and what a bottleneck guitar bruiser it is too.this one is the start of the albums purple patch because ‘Baby Vampire’ has the records best backing vocals and ‘Honey Squiss’ is Hanoi Rocks cool in the melody stakes and the albums golden nugget. I would say its a hidden gem but there’s nothing hidden or under the radar on this record no Sir not for a second. By the time ‘Starchild’ has begun you realise that that’s it and the record is on its last legs and this slower acoustic led ode to Starchild is the curtain call and that a shocker because it went by so quickly. So re-apply that eye shadow pull up those satin bellbottoms are flip this bad boy over and go straight back in for another round. It’s a lot of fun and whilst its dredged the underbelly of the 70’s glam scene it’s a hoot a proper blast of glitter oh, and the last quarter of this record is excellent. Get on it and ride that white swan til the end ‘Velvet Vortex’ is addictive as hubba bubba and space dust and about as much rock and roll fun as is legally permitted.
Author: Dom Daley
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