What an epic collection, What an epic band, what an epic journey. How the fuckin el weren’t the Dogs D’Amour fuckin huge?! Listening back to this hefty box set reminded me why I fell in love with these piraty Rock n Rollers in the first place and the fact that they actually don’t have a single shite song. the songwriting is amazing and the four elements of what made the magic magic (ok so Mr Bath had a part as did a few others along the way) fundamentally this was a magic time for me and they were a magic band so it figures this box set is – straight off the bat a must-own tome.
There got it out of my system. If you never really dived into the band’s catalogue (apart from shame on you) you will have missed the real gems that’s not to say the singles weren’t gems because they were and this pulls the blooming lot together in one wonderful place. If I have a complaint (which I don’t) I’d have loved to see these released on vinyl (even though I have them all on vinyl some a little beat up, especially the singles) but hey this will do for starters.
What you have is the studio albums beginning with the (Un)Authorised’Bootleg’ Album before ‘Dynamite Jet Saloon’, ‘Errol Flynn’, ‘Graveyard’, ‘Straight’ and then ‘More Unchartered Heights’ absolutely storming run of albums and anyone who saw them live can confirm they were every bit as exciting live.
The real gold here is the fact they’ve pulled in all the Golden Era albums and the two bonus discs of singles and live recordings. We did have the slipcase box set a few years ago but it didn’t have this plethora of bonus material. ‘King OF The Thieves’, ‘Ugly’ take me back followed by no less than fourteen live recordings some of which took me back to sitting next to the radio with a tape recorder to hear the sessions on Tommy Vance and the live stuff from the Hunter Ronson support slot that was a great night Ah the memories.
Disc eight is wrapped up with a few single edits and a bunch of acoustic recordings that go down very nicely. Like a fine wine, these records have aged considerably well and even if you haven’t played some of these in a while this set will remind you of what you had and always will. It’s a no-brainer purchase if you have any self-respect or can’t remember the late 80s due to too much Thunderbird wine this is a timely reminder.
They were never a Glam band, nor a metal band they were a Rock n Roll band and time says they were a damn fine Rock n Roll band at that in fact they were the finest of their generation and that my friends is a fact, Cheers or should that be chin chin raise a glass or two for one of the finest. Buy It!
Is it really three years since Mad Daddy released their debut album? Time flies when you’re getting old, and I play it regularly, so I was pleased to hear a second album was about to arrive. With a new rhythm section, but still retaining their grimy roots, fear not. Nothing has changed for the Iggy-endorsed Manx rockers. If it ain’t broke, e.t.c…
‘Too Tough To Die’ kicks off with the title track, another primal riff that clouts you round the head, and some snappy wah-wah. A sonically perfect three minutes. ‘Hot Chicks’ would really suit Iggy, strutting defiantly as it does. And Dolyn’s harmonica playing is even more assured, this time around.
The four songs from the ‘Road Racer’ EP are included here, remixed, but I’m eager to hear the new tunes, and it’s all good news. ‘I’m An Outsider’ is equal parts Ramones and Pistols, so what’s not to like? They are clearly loving playing the songs. This time around, only the singles will be available on streaming services, so you’ll need to order the CD (vinyl to come later). This is a smart move, as it’s nigh on impossible for bands to keep going nowadays. And ‘Stoned’ is another good reason to put in your preorder now. Simple, infectious stuff that will get you bopping.
‘Ride That Train’ is like Dr Feelgood on bad drugs after a long night, very much my thing. ‘Give It Some’ most certainly does, the only song over four minutes long here, but we’re fair rattling along, distorted slide guitar and brutal drumming. The band have kept their edge, whilst getting tighter.
With gigs coming up around the UK in April and May, you’d be daft to miss them. They’ve avoided the “difficult second album” syndrome. If you love dirty punk n roll, they’re worthy of your hard-earned cash. It’s not a tough decision.
Of course its on Pirates Press for they’re the perfect label for some excellent polished oi meets street punk rock n roll. From the opening verse and chorus of ‘The City’ you’re already singing along with the gang on this rather fine slice of street punk. Including past and present members of The Swingin’ Utters, The Beltones, Roadside Bombs, Hometown Addiction, Resilience, The Burdens, and more. They were formed at the beginning of the pandemic, and have the mission statement of playing roots rock n roll with a bootstomping rhythm and a fistfull of top tunes. You know what, they delivered exactly that.
Its got a spit and polish of some guys who’ve been around the block once or twice and know how to make a gret sounding record. Each of the ten tracks is powerfully delivered and arranged to perfection. Early doors you have the bass thumping runaway train that is ‘War’ I get shades of Living End in the arrangment but by the halfway point the songs are varied from the uptempo rock of ‘BNO’ to the melodic ‘Dead Generation’ with its strong message and gang vocal chorus it sounds like the perfect band for a good saturday night out with mates checking out the rock n roll show.
They even have time to slow things down for the intro of ‘Little Girl’ before it soars like a good SLF song. The upside of those long arduous lockdowns was a lot of bands were forced to work on their craft and out of all that isolation we have albums like this. ‘Good Riddence’ is a strong rock song no fuss or pretentions just five guys kicking out the jams. ‘King Of The Avenue’ is a strong avenue from top to bottom and they even find the time for a punk rock roots take on ‘Hungry Heart’ which they do very well to be fair leaving only ‘Nothing Wrong’ to sign this project off with as they ride off into the distance with a hot rod snarling rocker. If you like your Californian Punk Rock n Roll loud and full of melody with uplifting choruses that the gang can all get involved in then Hunting Lions might just be your new favourite band.
new album “Skinwalker” + EU headline tour dates announced for April 2024
UK headline tour to begin March
New album out 12th April via Communion Records
Cardiff-based four-piece Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard return with the announcement of their highly anticipated second album “Skinwalker”. Following closely on the heels of their critically acclaimed single “Therapy”, which came out just before the turn of the year, the new album is due for release on 12th April via Communion Records. It will come shortly after the band’s forthcoming UK tour which is set to take place across March 2024.
Following on from their Welsh Music Prize nominated debut album ‘Backhand Deals’ in 2022, the band wrote and recorded the album at frontman and producer Tom Rees’s Rat Trap studio, the room where Rees has previously recorded and produced tracks for emerging talent – Panic Shack, Do Nothing and The Bug Club. The material – as previewed on “Therapy” and their earlier single “Chew” – showcases a heavier and more disquieting sound than anything the band have released to date.
This darker sound and aesthetic take inspiration from found-footage horror and the Navajo concept of the Skinwalker – a legendary malevolent shapeshifter – from which the album takes its name. Thematically, each track on the record is designed to take you through descending floors of Rees’s mind each becoming more horrific than the last with the Skinwalker at the final floor, representing his inner fears, self-sabotage, hatred, and self-doubt. It’s a deeply intimate record of self-analysis and personal growth told through heavy fuzz-drenched guitars, a crushing rhythm section, and fevered vocals.
The band still carry that same the fast-paced energy and subtle trademark ‘70s references from their earlier releases though, and this is particularly evident on the danceable, indie-funk inflected new single “National Rust”, which was premiered last night by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Speaking on the single Rees says, “‘National Rust’ was my attempt at consolidating my 2020 obsession with Sly and the Family Stone with my 2021 obsession with David Bowie’s album ‘Low’. It was the first song that really paved the way for the new album, it broke a lot of the sonic boundaries that I was writing within when starting the second album, “I AM NOT AFRAID OF PLAYING FUNKY GUITAR!”, I exclaimed, mu-tron in hand.
Lyrically, it made a statement that informed my songwriting moving forward as well, being a flagrant rejection of my previous political song writing, and an admission of alienation amongst a plethora of information. ‘National Rust’ acts as a bridge between my younger, more political perspective, and my more recent, more apathetic one.”
Elsewhere on the record, the harmony-filled “In My Egg” sees Rees sing about the struggles to force yourself out of your comfort zone, whilst “Human Compression” see the band delve into an almost desert-rock sound with hazy, unrelenting guitar work supporting Rees’s lyrics about the pressure he puts on himself. The psychedelic glam-tinged “Night Of The Skinwalker” – a song which centres around his struggles with self-doubt- marks the albums opus, melding a number of styles and genres across almost six minutes.
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Rees, guitarist Zac White, drummer Ethan Hurst and Rees’ brother and bassist Eddie – have been going from strength-to-strength since releasing their debut EP “The Non-Stop” in 2020. They’ve since made of end-of-year lists with NME, DIY, and Dork; earned plaudits from the likes of the Guardian, The Telegraph, MOJO, Uncut, Record Collector, The Needle Drop, The Independent, CLASH, The Line Of Best Fit, and So Young; and have amassed significant radio support with plays across worldwide radio, and live session appearances across BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, NPR, Radio X, and more.
The band’s frenetic live sets have seen the band make fans in tourmates from The Magic Gang to Miles Kane and were set to support Noel Gallagher – another in a growing list of fans – at the Royal Albert Hall before the coronavirus struck. They’ve also performed widely across the festival circuit appearing at Glastonbury, Eurosonic, Latitude, All Points East, SXSW, and Green Man, and have toured extensively including a packed-out headline date at Scala. The band will go out on tour again next March hitting 16-dates across the UK where the band will continue to debut new material.
Full dates are as follows:
FEBRUARY 2024 24 – Swansea, Swansea Arena House Party
MARCH 2024 01 – Oxford, Jericho Tavern 03 – Exeter, The Cavern 04 – Falmouth, Cornish Bank 06 – Norwich, Voodoo Daddy’s 07 – Chelmsford, Hot Box 08 – Ipswich, The Smokehouse 10 – Tunbridge Wells, Forum 12 – Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms 13 – St Albans, The Horn 14 – Ramsgate, Music Hall 16 – Peterborough, Met Lounge 17 – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds 18 – Hull, Adelphi Club 20 – Stockton, Ku Bar 21 – Sunderland, Independent 22 – Edinburgh, Voodoo Rooms 24 – Grimsby, Docks Academy 25 – York, The Fulford Arms 26 – Clitheroe, The Swan & Royal 27 – Frome, The Tree House APRIL 02 – Rotterdam, Netherlands, V11 03 – Paris, France, L’International 04 – Hasselt, Belgium, Café Café
Tickets are on sale now – buy HERE “Skinwalker” is out 12th April via Communion Records – Pre-order HERE
Unless you spent last year living under a sizeable rock, you’ll know that the flame of righteous rock n roll is safely in the hands of His Lordship. Since their debut single ‘All Cranked Up’, they haven’t put a foot wrong, releasing two EPs, one of the original songs and another of greasy cover versions.
The dynamic duo, often a live three-piece, are easily in the running for album of the year, alongside Black Bombers. The quality of songs and the levels of energy have set the bar mighty high for their contemporaries. From ‘All Cranked Up’ onwards, it’s a joy. Alongside the songs that you already know, there are five new ones, plus the recent release ‘Jackie Works For The NHS’, which shows that while the tunes have their roots in the 50s, their subject matter is more varied.
Which, given James Walbourne’s writing partnership with Chrissie Hynde in Pretenders, should come as no surprise. He’s a busy fellow, but His Lordship stand on their own terms. And Kristoffer Sonne sure knows how to treat his minimal drum kit to his best advantage. If you don’t already know the likes of ‘Buzzkill’, ‘I’m So Bored Of Being Bored’ or ‘I Live In The City’, you’re in for a treat.
‘The Repenter’ shows that their musical palette is broader than some may have thought, ‘Joyboy’ is yet another raw slice of rock n roll, somewhere between Johnny Thunders and Link Wray at their most ferocious. Speaking of the great Link, their instrumental ‘Cat Call’ is pure class.
‘Rock, Fall, Echo, Dust’ has licks that Brian Setzer would surely approve of, and ‘Pixellated Polly’ is a grinding, hypnotic riff. ‘My Brother Is An Only Child’ adds a little Cramps to the mix, but nothing here sounds forced; they clearly love the music. It’s increasingly hard to make primal rock n roll that sounds fresh and exciting, but His Lordship have the talent and style required to pull it off. This is an essential purchase, folks. Get it ordered and catch them on tour.
I always get excited when I hear news trickling through the grapevine that Californias Bryan Smalls has assembled The Hangmen to record some new music and when I got the PR to say ‘Stories To Tell’ was indeed done and in the can, I couldn’t wait to get me some.
Getting straight to business, ‘Broken Heartland gets ‘Stories To Tell’ off to a flier with its solid tempo and some cool slide driving this Rocker onward and upwards. With some really nice solo work. With very little fanfare it’s on with the show and always a band who simply let the music do their talking. As far as openers go this is a thumper, no messing about just good honest Rock n Roll with a decent hook sweet playing and a melody on the chorus that locks in to your good vibe receptors of your brain making this addictive and oh so sweet.
Play on. With a nice round ten tracks on offer Smalls laid back exterior and style is no more aparent than ‘Midnight Riders’ with its widescreen vision as the sun drops out of the sky its such a quality tune. You’ve gotta love the melody as it battles with the music for what grabs you most but this is where The Hangmen sit best for me – it sounds effortlessly cool as you’re drawn in. They turn up the amps for ‘Last Time I Saw You’ as the riff chimes the band are rockin out here just cruising through the gears.
Another shift in tempo sees the laid back ‘On The Outside’ go country roots rock. The acoustic guitars are out and its time to sip a beer on the porch whilst the Rock n Roll eases back. Four songs deep and four sides to The Hangmen painting broad strokes with a thread throughout thats totally recognisable which isn’t easy to do. That Hangmen tone is what captures your attention. It’s raw as a seeping wound but sweet as honey, ‘Sinister Purpose’ hangs its melody on a big riff thats classic and modern but always quality. The cowbell is out on ‘Bayou Moon’ as Smalls leads his troops down a Stones rabit hole that oozes class. As the groove takes hold I’m gazing into the sky hoping we can all get some of this ‘Bayou Moon’. In fact The Stones are lurking in the DNA of Stories To Tell as the acoustic rocker of ‘Behind The Wheel’ will testify.
With a title track being a mid paced mid day rocker stretching itself out building to the chorus its just classic Hangmen and if you get it you’ll dig it and admire their class. Its a very impressive album with variety and moments left right and centre that purr with quality from the rockin opener to the almost baladlike ‘Runnin Kind’ that brings the curtain down on this excellent album. Don’t take my word for it. Head out there and pick up a copy or if you’re modern and like to stream then get on and pre save it so you can also marvel in the majesty that is the most excellent Hangmen. Winner!
Classic rock n roll transcends time by distilling heart and passion into the soul that connects us with others in some collective unconscious pool of emotion, which can range from exuberance to the darkness of heartbreak. Whether we grew up listening to the likes of the Faces and the Rolling Stones or the Dogs D’amour and Quireboys or checking out this new mini album by the Circus Hearts, these are not just songs but the sonic blood that drives us. The Circus Hearts have sprinkled a couple of singles out over the past few years which are also included here on one of the finest albums you will hear this year.
I have been lucky enough to spend about a month with these songs, which immediately grabbed me but have become even more contagious over repeated listens. Opening song ‘This Old Coat’ comes ringing in on the guitar and a sprinkling of piano which sets the stage perfectly with Joe Anzuena’s vocals on the verse immediately making a statement that this is going to be special. In the past, I have thought this musical approach isn’t doing anything revolutionary new, but I now lean a little bit more towards the other end as not nearly enough music is being made in this style anymore. ‘Family Tree’ roars out of the speaker with a hint of Exile/ Sticky Fingers era Stones. Like the opening track, this one packs another stellar hook in the chorus.
The album is self-produced and mixed perfectly. Sean Flynn’s guitar jumps out of the speakers while the rhythm section of Jojo Buerklin (drums) and Chris Herninko (bass) carries each song to new heights. Each song also employs the use of piano/ keys which also shine in the mix. Wrapping up the first half of the album is a splendid cover of the Faces’ ‘Had Me a Real Good Time.’ Covering such a song can end up going spectacularly bad, but there are no reasons for worry here. Anzuena’s vocals are magical throughout the song as he hits the notes perfectly and gives them a hint of grit when needed.
Flipping the wax over leads to another embarrassment of musical riches. ‘Baby Bye Bye’ should grab listeners who appreciate catchy guitar riffs, female backing vocals, and sax work. This style would have fit seamlessly on the Black Crowes’ ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ or the first couple Quireboys’ albums. At no point in this album is there any dip in quality. Follow-up song ‘Annie C’mon’ continues in a similar vain and contains some killer sax work by Bobby Michaels. I would be perfectly content to isolate the sax in the song and just listen to it because of how well it is done.
Closing song ‘Circus Hearts” has become my favorite amongst favorites here as it slows the tempo a bit with a nice piano intro. The slower tempo allows Anzuena’s vocals to shine again as we vicariously feel life on the road moving from town to town. Lyrically, the Circus Hearts establish their own identity as well with familiar subject matter avoiding the typical cliches. Much as the Faces cover closed side 1 as the longer epic, this final song goes past the 5-minute mark as it continues to build. This is not a power ballad though if that is what you are thinking. This is just a slower rock song that exudes emotion.
At the end of the album, the biggest disappointment is that there are only 6 songs here. It leaves you longing for more songs, so the only logical solution is to either flip the vinyl over to start again or let the digital files circle back around for another play. The Circus Hearts have channeled a magic elixir here and hopefully have more in store for us in the future. If you like any of the bands I have mentioned or needing a fix of rock n roll, I urge you to stop reading and go pick up the vinyl before it is too late and you have to settle for just a download of one of the best releases of 2023 whose timelessness will mean you are adding this to your favorite playlists moving forward.
Making our way through the wretched hive of scum and villainy gathered on the streets of Mos Ei… sorry I of course meant…Newport, on route to entering our favourite local cantina bar, Le Pub, I’d perhaps be forgiven for thinking I’d actually stepped back in time, to a film set not from the 1970s, but in fact the 1960s and that scene in ‘Blow Up’ where David Hemmings walks in on the Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page version of Yardbirds rippin’ through a rough as they come version of ‘Train Kept A-Rollin’’. That’s because Finland’s finest rabble rousers US are in the house tonight opening proceedings for Jim Jones All Stars, and they are making an immediate (and very positive) impression on those of us in the sweaty confines of Le Pub early doors.
Having recently completed a set of UK shows in support of the fast rising His Lordship, US are not only a band seemingly out of time, but also out of this world, their music falling somewhere between garage rock and out and out old school R&B, with the Helsinki 5 piece not only winning the sharpest dressers in Newport award tonight, but also truly sounding like the real deal too. I could say they remind me of The Strypes, as they look as young as those Irish lads did in their early years, but no, these lads actually remind me of The Sonics, and that’s a world of difference in my book.
US are playing a series of UK shows this summer including a run of 5 shows at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, make sure you catch ‘em while you can, as these guys are going to be going places.
Having witnessed Jim Jones during his time fronting revolutionary psych punks Thee Hypnotics (first time around and the brief pre-Covid reunion), along with his roustabout Revue years and those most Righteous of Minds days, my most recent encounter with the singer/guitarist was at this year’s Vive Le Rock Awards in London where he briefly put a spell on us all fronting the house pick up band the Vive Le Rockers.
Why do I mention this? Well, simply because the 8-piece band that now makes up the collective known as the Jim Jones All Stars is like the perfect sum of all those already great parts…but (as some welly wearing comedian used to say) there’s more. Much, much more.
I’m not sure exactly what it is, but there’s times tonight where the All Stars sound like they could be Stax or Sun (oh and let’s not forget Bell either) Records recording artistes, there’s just so much soul emanating from the stage, and that extra little touch of class that the dual saxophones bring to proceedings is nothing short of musical genius.
For their hour on stage (which literally felt like it was over in the blink of an eye) we get reinventions of classic Revue tracks like ‘Cement Mixer’, ‘Burning Your House Down’, ‘The Princess And The Frog’, along with a truly off the scale ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Psychosis’ plus there’s a seismic rendition of the Righteous Minds’ ‘Satan’s Got His Heart Set On You’ along for safe measure, something that very well might just have woken up any dozing Rontos chained up outside. (Jeez, I never do any Star Wars references and that’s two in one review). Plus of course there’s the All Stars very own anthem in the making, the hip shaking, ‘Gimme The Grease’, which really is a sign of truly great things to come.
Whilst a lot of the other bars in Newport would see cover bands playing in them tonight, I will bet my mortgage on the fact that none of those bands will have covered both ‘Run Run Run’ by The Velvet Underground, and ‘Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey’ by The Beatles. Unfortunately, there’s no space in the set tonight for the band’s version Of ‘Human Fly’, aired during their inaugural live shows, but I’m more than happy to trade that in for the All Stars’ rendition of Thee Hypnotics’ ‘Shakedown’ that closes things out tonight. Wow! That really is all I can say, apart from this is how I always wanted to hear this song delivered live, and like the wise old sage stood by me during the show shouted in my ear, it really did “sound like The Stooges in their prime”.
With the clock ticking down to the dreaded night club early load out, there was just enough time for a whirlwind run through of the Revue’s ‘512’ before we were all being ushered out into the main bar and ultimately out into the maybe not quite as cold as usual Newport night air.
This long since sold out show will surely feature on many of its (very lucky) attendees’ gigs of the year list, and after seeing Jim Jones perform with all those aforementioned bands, I feel he’s really hit on something very magical indeed with the Jim Jones All Stars.
This is without question his finest hour yet, truly exceptional stuff!
You may be forgiven if you are unaware of the name Richard Duguay, but the Canadian musician (now residing in LA) has the rock n’ roll credentials ladies and gents. He first came to prominence as bassist and then guitarist for Canadian punk legends Personality Crisis in the early 80’s and went on to contribute guitars to Guns n’ Roses version of ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory’ in the early 90’s. He has spent the last 20 years in LA playing and recording, his most recent release was a concept album entitled ‘Bad Juju’, which was written and recorded with co-writer/guitar slinger Marc Floyd.
He now follows up that album with ‘Beautiful Decline’, which takes the same 70’s rock n’ roll influences, the street punk of Detroit and New York City, and adds psychedelic sonics and dynamic arrangements that promise to turn heads and make impressions that last.
The first impressions of ‘Beautiful Decline’ certainly do impress. If you dig the dark, theatrical rock of vintage Alice Cooper, the dangerous thrill of Iggy & The Stooges and the glamour of New York Dolls, then hold on to your sequined jacket baby, because you are in for a real cool time.
“I never met a sucker who didn’t have it coming” drawls Duguay over urgent beats and low-slung guitars on opener ‘Wasteland’. With more than a hint of Scandinavian leather it then descends into a cool as you like breakdown, before kicking ass back into a race to the climax. That’ll do nicely sir, I’m sold!
A shameless cover of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s ‘The Faith Healer’ follows. It is transformed into a more theatrical and OTT beast, one that you feel the mighty Coop would’ve done himself back in the day. Yeah, sorta Alice Cooper meets Bigelf here, as there is a trippy, psychedelic vibe going on.
The theatrical theme continues with the most excellent ‘Kid Stardust’. Pianos and mass vocals take charge over a character-based narrative. It seems there is more to Richard Duguay’s songwriting than meets the eye, as the arrangements and the dynamics are clever and well executed all over this album. I mean, ‘Prepare The Dogs Of War’ is a 6-minute epic with haunting female vocals, stabs of piano, multi sections of music and twangy, spaghetti western guitars. And that’s just the first of two 6-minute epics! More ambitious and glorious than the street punk cover art would lead you to believe. Even Duguay’s vocals here are as menacing as anything Alice, or even Marilyn Manson has concocted.
There are straight ahead rockers as well though. ‘Get In Line’ has a glam slam ride of a chorus with killer backing vocals and percussion, both thrilling in unison. Yet again, our songwriter fits in another crazy ass, mid-song breakdown that verges on something The Police would’ve done with the tune, before breaking back into that killer bridge that really hits hard coming out of that breakdown. A killer tune indeed.
Then the rifftastic ‘I Gotta Move’ gives off Hellacopters meets The Stooges vibes as sonically seductive guitars solo wildly over a killer chugging riff. Gang vocals are the icing on the cake of an album highlight.
Amongst the garage rock and the theatre are a couple of heartfelt acoustic moments worth mentioning. The emotive duet ‘Windows Walk’ screams Thunders/Palladin as Richard and his wife Paula Tiberius deliver a snippet of a song that is over seemingly as soon as it has begun. And album closer ‘Eyes Of Silence’ is a stripped-down affair with acoustic guitar and understated piano accompaniment. Again, the signature dynamics are at play with a stop here and there to add drama, and as it rides out on a tinkling of the ivories, the listener is left satisfied with a sense of completion and the desire to hit that play button once again.
With 11 songs that cover a wide spectrum of the rock n’ roll world, ‘Beautiful Decline’ is as ambitious as it is diverse. Each listen reveals more layers, as you come to realise it’s an album that is much more than the sum of its parts. Epic, theatrical rock with menacing undertones disguised as punky, garage rock. And lo and behold if Richard Duguay has seemingly come from nowhere and delivered one of the most ambitious and 70’s sounding rock albums of the year so far. Buy it before it sells out.
The self-proclaimed “Barons of High Energy Rock n’ Roll” Märvel celebrate their 20th anniversary with a double album of their greatest hits, B sides and hard to find tracks, collected together on vinyl for the first time.
The Swedish power trio, consisting of The King (Vocals/guitar), The Burgher (bass) and The Vicar (drums) play the sort of high-octane rock n’ roll usually reserved for the likes of Hellacopters, Gluecifer and Turbonegro and are influenced by the most flamboyant and hard-hitting rock bands from the 70’s and 80’s.
‘Double Decade’ follows the release of last year’s ‘Graces Came With Malice’ album and takes the listener on a ride through their 9 studio albums and a plethora of EPs and singles.
They open proceedings with the title track of their 2015 EP ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, a poptastic affair with handclaps, whistling and urgent, bombastic beats. It’s so “Disco Kiss” it could be an outtake from ‘Dynasty’. In complete contrast, ‘Bring It On’ from the same EP, sees the trio veer off the Kiss train into laid back blues slumber, as The King wails ‘Bring it on motherfuckers!” over a sloppily delivered Billy Gibbons riff.
Apart from the most recent ‘Graces Came With Malice’ and the covers opus ‘Guilty Pleasures’, all the studio albums are represented. You wanted the best; you got the best! From the debut ‘5 Smell City’ to the 2017 release ‘At The Sunshine Factory’, we get a snapshot of the best Märvel have to offer. You want a band who sound like 70’s Kiss meets Hellacopters, with a smattering of Thin Lizzy and Bolan thrown about for good measure? Then look no further.
The punky ‘T.N.H.’ and ‘The Effort’ taken from the excellently titled ‘Warhawks Of War’ are two of my personal faves, along with ‘Pyrrhic Victory’ and the most awesome of B sides that is ‘Ambassador Of Fantastic’.
They include 2 new songs as well. ‘Catch 22’ and the killer ‘Turn The Page’ show that Märvel have not lost the art of penning a catchy chorus or two over the years.
Another highlight and a bit of a curioso is ‘The Devil Stole The Beat From The Lord’, taken from the Hellacopters tribute album ‘Payin The Dues’ and is a faithful rendition of the classic and fits the vibe of this album perfectly.
A lot of these songs you won’t find on streaming sites, there’s no videos on YouTube. Hell, you can’t even find any info on Google (you try typing in “Märvel” followed by “Motherfucker” and scroll through pages of Samuel L Jackson quotes!). But this sort of adds to the anonymity and excitement of the band and sets them apart from their peers.
‘Double Decade’ is a killer 23 track compilation of one of the best unsung bands of Scandinavian rock n’ roll, that have been treading the boards for the past 20 years. If you’ve not discovered the joys of a Märvel album, this is your perfect introduction. Long may they reign supreme.
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