R-FEST – The Festival Within A Festival Confirms THE WEDDING PRESENT

R-FEST – The Festival Within A Festival Confirms THE WEDDING PRESENT

REBELLION FESTIVAL LAUNCH R-FEST – THE FESTIVAL WITHIN A FESTIVAL

A NEW OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN FRONT OF BLACKPOOL TOWER TO TAKE PLACE AUGUST 4-7, 2022, IN ADDITION TO REBELLION AT THE WINTER GARDENS

Rebellion Festival, the largest punk and alternative festival in the world, is returning in 2022 even bigger and better with the launch of new outdoor event R-FEST – the festival within a festival.

Confirmed to take place this coming 4th to 7th of August 2022, in addition to Rebellion Festival at its annual home the Winter Gardens, R-FEST will be located slap bang in front of Blackpool Tower on the promenade, directly down from the Winter Gardens. The organisers are building an arena with the sea on one side and the town on the other, with a capacity for 15,000 punters and space for bars, food, and band merchandise.

Today, R-FEST can announce that English indie-rock legends The Wedding Present will be joining the line-up on Saturday August 6th. They replace the Chameleons who are sadly no longer able to perform, but the Leeds born John Peel favourites will join Gary Numan, Peter Hook & the Light, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, Primitives and Pete Bentham & the Dinner Ladies for what is sure to be a fantastic day of classic music.

“Every time Rebellion Festival announces its line-up I say: “We have to go to that festival this time.” But we’ve sadly never made it. Until now,” exclaims singer and songwriter David Gedge. “I feel honoured that The Wedding Present have been invited to appear at this year’s brilliant-looking event.”

The full line-up for R-Fest is.

THURSDAY 4th AUGUST: Levellers, Hawkwind, Misty in Roots, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, Beans on Toast, Millie Manders and the Shut Up

FRIDAY 5th AUGUST: The Stranglers, The Undertones, The Skids, From the Jam, Toyah, Jilted John, The Vapors

SATURDAY 6th AUGUST: Gary Numan, Peter Hook & the Light, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, The Wedding Present, Primitives, Pete Bentham & the Dinner Ladies

SUNDAY 7th AUGUST: Squeeze, Billy Bragg, Tom Robinson Band, Hollie Cook, Buzzcocks, Altered Images, I, Doris

R-FEST will quickly establish itself as the North West’s premier music festival and Rebellion Festival look forward to welcoming many fans that could be experiencing one of their events for the first time. We’re sure they will be welcomed by the Rebellion Family and soon realise why Blackpool is such a special place for our summer gatherings.

R-FEST is a standalone festival and day tickets are available at £50 per day. However, if you are a REBELLION weekend or REBELLION day ticket holder your ticket will get into R-FEST Free Of Charge!

R-FEST is all ages and there is re-entry available.

Rebellion Festival also looks forward to hosting the best punk from around the world in 2022 with the likes of Sham 69, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers confirmed to play the Winter Gardens August 4th-7th 2022.

Tickets for Saturday R-FEST are available HERE:

Rebellion Day & Weekend Tickets gets you in to R-FEST and the Winter Gardens full festival and are on sale HERE:

Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com/r-fest for all info and tickets.  

The Wonder Stuff – Tramshed Cardiff – 08-06-22

The Wonder Stuff – Tramshed Cardiff – 08-06-22

Never loved Elvis? Me neither. The Stuffies have been threatening to hit the stages for several years but something happened and the anniversary tour hit the buffers a few times before it became the ‘Never Loved Elvis 31-year anniversary Tour’ Not quite the same ring to it but hey, what can you do about it other than get the pencil out and reschedule again.

With an early start due to the fact that Milo and the Stuffies wanted to give fans who’ve remained patient and loyal some bang for their buck this one kicked off at just twenty past eight! Playing the entire Number Three in the chart bothering mid-heyday album ‘Never Loved Elvis’ in its track listed entirety before then indulging in an epic greatest hits romp through an inspired back catalogue.

Tonight was one of those special performances, one that pops up for regular gig-goers every now and then and for many reasons it inspires, it confirms why we do this and tonight The Wonder Stuff was that performance. Now, I’ve seen the band many many times over the years in many places from football stadiums to festivals to nice-sized venues Like Tramshed. I’ve also seen several acoustic shows from Milo and Erica which were eventful and often fantastic but tonight the ‘Never Loved Elvis’ set was inspired. Sure they’ve done sets before that have been epic but this one was special. I pretty much love every album and have played them a bazillion times over the years and I have never been able to decide which is my favourite which is a good thing – it keeps listening healthy but from the opening shaker shake of Mission Drive to the sign off of ’38 Line Poem’ ‘Never Loved Elvis’ sounded incredible. The new (happy-go-lucky smiling) Milo is a revelation even finding time to reflect on his previous persona which made plenty giggle but it’s good, I like both. We’d never have had ‘Cartoon Boyfriend’, ‘Play’, On The Ropes’ had he been smiling and happy all the time.

The rehearsals had paid off and the band sounded tight and playing at a fantastically loud volume seemed to add an edge – a vitality to proceedings that was very much appreciated. ‘Never Loved Elvis’ was played as promised with nothing missing or reshuffled and it sounded awesome! Milo enquired why didn’t he write more ballads and why were the band in such a rush back in the day? After the thirteen-song opening salvo, the band retreated for a short interval before returning to the stage to plough through another nineteen songs from all corners of the band’s catalogue.

‘It was ‘Hups’ ’30 years In The Bathroom’ that kicked off the second half as the band sped from early songs (Eight Legged Groove Machines) ‘Red Berry’ to (Constructions) ‘On The Ropes’. I love the “hits” but I also love hearing new songs and ones from the more recent records so it was great to get ‘Feet To The Flames’ and ‘Don’t Anyone Dare Give A Damn’ off the most recent LP. It was then time to take in a sharp breath and race to the finish line. ‘Circlesquare’, ‘Radio Ass Kiss’ ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘Ten Trenches’ all flew by in an exhilarating set before leaving the sweat-soaked stage for a final encore and it was ‘Unbearable’, ‘Give Give Give Me More More More’ before shutting this incredible performance down with the headfuck of ‘Goodnight Though’ simply my favourite end of the show song ever! Take a breath, have a stretch and off into the cool night air we fled, grinning like Cheshire cats knowing we’d just seen one hell of a performance from a superb band who still cut the mustard. Oh and it was reassuringly loud which was nice, and I mean LOUD!

Can we do this again for the ‘Construction For The Modern Idiot’ 30th anniversary please Milo? Bring the new album as well, thanks. Epic!

Author: Dom Daley

Dion Lunadon – ‘Beyond Everything’ (In The Red Records)

Dion Lunadon – ‘Beyond Everything’ (In The Red Records)

With a CV that name-checks both the legendary Auckland garage rockers the D4 and professional noise hitmen A Place to Bury Strangers, it is no surprise that Dion Lunadon’s solo offerings are so impressive and sonically abrasive.


Much like the debut, Dion’s follow-up Beyond Everything contains a vast genre appraisal of his career to date. Treating the listener to reams of heavy psych, post-punk, the dirtiest garage guitars, and even some Hammond organ, all delivered in a fresh captivating production that is a frenzy for the senses.


The record, although high quality and engaging are very sporadic in its delivery. In recent interviews, Dion has stated that the record has been written on and off since 2017. The overall package is a formidable one. Going from ‘one punch punk killers’ like By My Side and It’s The Truth to ‘Suicide style’ synth and distorted fury such as Elastic Diagnostic and Glass Doll, this album feels more like a series of EPs and 45s. Not to diminish any of the actual content. As with the first record, the compositions are provoking and make the hair stand on the back of your neck, it’s just not as uniform as album one. But in my book, this is a good thing, the experiments being thrown on the wall are rewarding for the listener, always exciting and balls to the wall, it’s also giving Dion a great reputation as a solo artist that can throw his hand at anything. 


With too many to mention, stand-out tracks would have to be garage standard Living and Dying With You, smooth Stooges Esque mover and groover Screw Driver. But if you want something a bit special that will energise you and weird you out all at the same time, Nothing But My Skull is one to have on repeat this summer. With the tempo of Flipper and dirgey guitar and howls of Thurston Moore all wrapped up sounding like some bastardised alternative rock Wings number. 


The album is certainly a journey, but one of tremendous highs and pleasing curveballs. Currently, on tour in the US, Mr. Lunadon is hitting the UK in November. Sadly only doing the all too familiar London-only gig. In the meantime let’s make some noise with this record and give him a reason to expand that date and turn it into a tour.

Buy Here

Author: Dan Kasm

The Courettes are in a ‘Daydream’

The Courettes are in a ‘Daydream’

Taken from their fantastic new record out now on Damaged Goods Records ‘Back In Mono – B-Sides & Outtakes’ available on 10” and CD which is out now on Damaged Goods

The Courettes continue their tour tonight at The Moth Club, Hackney with support from The Shadracks.

The remaining dates are….

8 June London The Moth
9 June Brighton The Albert
10 June Middlesbrough Westgarth Social Club
11 June Glasgow McChuills
12 June Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms Ballroom
14 June Newcastle The Cluny
15 June Liverpool Zanzibar
16 June Manchester Night & Day
17 June Folkestone Chambers
18 June Southend The Moonraker

Tickets available here.

BOB MOULD Hits the UK & Ireland

BOB MOULD Hits the UK & Ireland

LISTEN BACK TO BOB IN SESSION FOR JOHN KENNEDY ON RADIO X HERE

NEW LIVE EP, THE OCEAN,
OUT NOW ON MERGE RECORDS

his eagerly anticipated Solo Electric: Distortion & Blue Hearts! Tour having previously taken the show on the road across the US and Canada earlier this year. Kicking off at Brighton‘s Concorde 2 on June 9th and running through July 1st at Whelan’s in Dublin, these dates are Mould’s first on this side of the pond since the release of both his critically acclaimed 2020 album Blue Hearts on Merge Records, as well as his solo career-encompassing Distortion boxset series, available now on Demon Music Group. Catch a show across Mould’s nearly month-long UK/Ireland residency and you can expect to hear solo takes on classics from across his beloved solo back catalogue, from his iconic time with Hüsker Dü and right through to Blue Hearts. Support on all dates comes from ascendant UK singer-songwriter Katie Malco.

Of the upcoming dates, Mould says: “I’m looking forward to the upcoming Solo Electric shows in the UK and Ireland. I’m excited to be performing songs from 2020’s Blue Hearts, as well as revisiting the prior 40 years of my songbook.” 

Ahead of his UK dates, Mould recently appeared in session on John Kennedy‘s Radio X show to perform a series of tracks from across his career: ‘Makes No Sense At All‘ (from Hüsker Dü’s 1985 LP Flip Your Wig), ‘Hoover Dam‘ (from Sugar‘s 1992 opus Copper Blue), ‘The Descent‘ (from his revelatory 2012 solo set Silver Age) and ‘The Ocean‘ (from Blue Hearts). Listen back to the session and interview in full here.

UK/IE tour dates:

June 9th | Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
June 10th | Ramsgate, UK – Ramsgate Music Hall SOLD OUT
June 12th | Birmingham, UK – The Mill
June 13th | Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms
June 14th | Oxford, UK – Oxford O2 Academy 2
June 16th | London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall
June 17th  Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
June 18th | Stoke-on-Trent, UK – The Sugarmill
June 20th | Bristol, UK – Thekla
June 22nd | Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor SOLD OUT
June 23rd | Newcastle, UK – Riverside
June 24th | Liverpool, UK – Arts Club
June 25th | Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
June 27th | Chester, UK – The Live Rooms
June 28th | Cardiff, UK – The Globe
June 30th | Belfast, UK – Limelight 2
July 1st | Dublin, IE – Whelan’s SOLD OUT

Tickets for all shows available at https://bobmould.com/tour/

Website / Facebook

Michael Monroe – ‘I Live Too Fast To Die Young’ (Silver Lining Music)

Michael Monroe – ‘I Live Too Fast To Die Young’ (Silver Lining Music)

The gang are back, just in time for summer. Perhaps ironically, it all kicks off with lead single ‘Murder The Summer Of Love’, a typically punchy but slick opener. ‘Young Drunks, Old Alcoholics’ if anything, would have been a better choice, hook-laden with a sleazy solo.

‘Derelict Palace’ is reminiscent of a mid-paced Lords song, especially the bass line and hanging chords. Here, Monroe has never sounded better, I have to wonder if he was thinking of Stiv at the time of recording. ‘All Fighter’ starts off like The Damned’s ‘Ignite’, no bad thing, obviously. “Sing it all for the hopeless and rejected”,  there’s no resting on laurels just yet.

‘Everybody’s Nobody’ is the story of a “Coulda been a contender” musician. Hmm, I think a lot of us know the feeling. ‘Antisocialite’ is the inevitable, piano-led ballad, but, to his credit, cheesy cliches are avoided and it sounds like he means it.

You might already have heard ‘Can’t Stop Falling Apart’ via the video, another fine singalong number. ‘Pagan Prayer’ is a timely, full-speed-ahead rocker, bound to be great live.

The title track comes with a guest solo from Slash. I guess that will appeal to some, and I understand it helps shift units, but the band is great regardless of guest appearances, as is the song. ‘Dearly Departed’ A somber note to end on, but remains moving, nonetheless. It’s unlike anything else on the album, and a brave choice.

Since ‘Sensory Overdrive’, all Monroe’s albums have been solid, some more exciting than others and all have some real belters. This album shows the band’s strengths to good effect. I have a preference for the rockers, but you’ve got to respect his canon of work. And I look forward to seeing them take the roof off a venue somewhere soon.

With I Live Too Fast To Die Young, it is clear Michael Monroe is striding into the summer with a triumphant roar to offer you the real rock ‘n’ roll escape of 2022. It’s been way too long. Besides Nobody does sleazy Rock and Roll better than Michael Monroe that’s a fact!

I Live Too Fast To Die Young’ will be available on CD Digipak, 12” Red Vinyl, Signed Limited Edition 12” Vinyl with Alternative Artwork, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles. Available to pre-order Here

Author: Martin Chamarette

Follow Michael Monroe:
www.facebook.com/michaelmonroeofficial 
www.twitter.com/michaelmonroe 
www.instagram.com/michaelmonroeofficial
www.michaelmonroe.com/web/ 

Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders – ‘Blues, Soul & Rock ‘N’ Roll’ (Beluga Records/Ghost Highway Recordings and KOTJ)

Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders – ‘Blues, Soul & Rock ‘N’ Roll’ (Beluga Records/Ghost Highway Recordings and KOTJ)

Woohoo! Rooting tootin Rockin and a Rolling. Pat Todd & His band of merry men get their jig on as they cough up a ‘Rooster Blues’ rock and roll extravaganza as they honk the harmonica along with some sleazy garage rock n roll. Proceedings get underway with a howling ‘Rooster Blues’. Todd then goes down to the crossroads and cuts the deal with the Devil for some of those cool tunes and gets the smoldering ‘I’m A Cool Teenager’ whilst the mirrorball casts light the band gets the slow dance underway.

‘No Good Lover’ will have you chicken dancing like a prime time Lux Interior as the band cut up the floor with a smashing tune. ‘Promised Land’ is the jewel in the Rockin crown as the band kicks out the jams and Todd is on whip-cracking form. It’s a howling good time being had in the bestust Chuck Berry way it’s like hearing prime time Georgia Satellites.

If there is anything to complain about it would have to be this is way too brief with only six tracks blowing up your stereo. ‘Blues Soul & Rock and Roll’ is a banger short, sharp & oh so sweet. You know the drill by now Pat Todd & The Rank Outsiders deliver top-notch Rock n Roll and this is the proof. Blues Soul Rock and Roll does exactly what it says on the Tin! Buy It!

Buy Here / Ghost Highway Website Here

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Author: Dom Daley

Starcrawler – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge – 29th May 2022

Starcrawler – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge – 29th May 2022

Taking a break from opening stadiums for My Chemical Romance, L.A. shock rockers Starcrawler take a visit to the sleepy Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge for one of only 2 UK headline shows. The intimate Trades Club is the venue and its not even sold out, probably due to the fact that Aussie punks Amyl & the Sniffers are playing down the road in Leeds, taking away some potential punters.

It is busy though, and from the first howl that Arrow De Wilde yells during opener ‘Goodtime Girl’ and the ensuing goosebumps, I can tell it’s going to be a killer show. I knew Starcrawler were going to be good, but not this good. With just white satin trousers and a bikini top covering her sleight frame, Arrow struts the stage pulling all the cool rock star moves, she screams like a banshee and you can’t take your eyes off her. With a dark stage and good backlighting, she looks almost ethereal with her long blonde hair, teased higher and better than any 80’s glam band you care to mention. Imagine Patti Smith meets Michael Monroe and you’re getting close.

Live, Starcrawler are definitely the Arrow & Henri show. The livewire guitar player does not stand still and spends the majority of the one-hour set wringing seven shades of shit out of his guitar. He wrestles with the instrument like it is a weapon, like he is fighting for every note, when in reality that is far from the truth.

It doesn’t all run smoothly though. At one point he loses his guitar strap mid-song, causing a Stevie Ray Vaughn style strap change, while not dropping a note[or the guitar], very slick. The guitar player halts the show during a storming version of the Ramones ‘Pet Semetary’, when he thinks he spots some aggro in the animated and rowdy crowd. Turns out to be a false alarm and the onstage chaos and disorder resumes.

New single ‘Roadkill’ sounds fantastic, ‘I Love LA’ is a given and the country-tinged Jackass theme ‘If You’re Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough’ transcends into punk rock chaos of the highest degree, the crowd lap it up.

The Pretenders-like single ‘No More Pennies’ is a cool respite from the Stooges-like raw, punk power that has the crowd excited, but material like closer ‘Beat My Brain’, with its sonically overdriven guitar lick is where this band truly shine.

Encore ‘Chicken Woman’ is a filthy wall of Sabbath-inspired grunge that culminates with the singer jumping into the crowd for a pogo before disappearing for good. Meanwhile, her guitar-wielding cohort has coaxed a female fan onto the stage and strapped his guitar on to the bewildered girl, leaving her to strum out unknown chords to a wall of feedback, as the guitarist casually walks offstage for the final time. A brilliant climax to a short but sweet set.

Starcrawler have been wowing the My Chemical Romance fans and it is easy to see why. They have the looks, the energy and the stagecraft. They also have some bloody good tunes under their studded belts. I’d heard they were good live, but I must say I was more than impressed tonight. With 2 great albums already, an imminent 3 and a formidable live reputation, the future looks great for Starcrawler. They may not play such intimate venues on their next visit, but you must see them.

Author: Ben Hughes

Starcrawler Facebook

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS, have announced the release of their debut album ‘Charm Offensive‘, to be out on 19th August 2022 through Ray Records on 12” black vinyl, digipak CD and digital, distributed worldwide via Cargo Records. Pre-order the album here

“This album has been a real labour of love for me, I’ve really put my heart & soul into it. Over the last year or so I’ve been working very hard developing my guitar playing, music & lyric writing pulling myself in all sorts of directions, really stretching myself. I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do, create songs from the heart in no specific genre & perform them to the best of my ability on the record. I guess for years I have been a frustrated lead singer so I have relished the opportunity to showcase what I can do vocally too.” – Slyder Smith –

Slyder Smith first swaggered onto the stage as lead guitarist with glam-tinged power popsters, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album on Ray Records, & having toured extensively throughout the UK & Europe with LGD, Slyder now takes centre stage leading new power trio, Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass and Rik Pratt, Drums) in an honest outpouring of grit, glamour and emotion.

Stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight, the self-confessed ‘frustrated lead singer’ has been forced to delve deep into his own psyche, to carefully craft lyrics and melodies that speak from the heart. Slyder’s emotive vocals are powerful, yet melancholic, the perfect balance of light and shade sitting effortlessly within the sonic landscape of his varied rhythm guitar sounds and highly melodic & anthemic lead lines.

Stage left, Slyder is joined by Tim Emery, a towering enigma, whose stylish bass lines are the only thing to outshine his impeccable apparel and at the back sits the Oblivion Kids’ powerhouse and beat master, Welshman, Rik Pratt. A man of few words but whose presence is palpable in this rock steady rhythm section.

But this is no ordinary guitar-based rock album; together with producer Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths and Sam Brown), Slyder has allowed the songs to dictate the direction they have gone in; discovering melodies and hook lines along the way. Making use of Hammond organ and piano with the help of Neil Scully (Richard Davies & the Dissidents), a 1950s Phillicord organ, lap steel guitar & even a bit of banjo.

A chocolate box of sonic sensations offering up a little something for everyone – from heavy riffage with walloping drums akin to the brothers Young to the anticipated sleaze rock shades of Hanoi Rocks. However, this band is not afraid to step away from their rock roots, instead, with nods to the likes of The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers and The Kinks from the past and the alternative rock sound of Manic Street Preachers, The Oblivion Kids have reimagined an 80s synth-pop classic and mastered singalong pop, gothic, dark Americana, and dare I say it, funk-rock?! There are a few firsts for Slyder on here too in the form of an instrumental track with a western feel to a duet featuring the ethereal vocals of Nina Courson (Healthy Junkies). The result is an idiosyncratic 14-track album of outstanding versatility.  A Charming debut, I’m sure you’ll agree.
 

On the strength of the new recordings, Slyder has also just signed a publishing deal with Cherry Red Songs… “I’m really hopeful that with Cherry Red’s help we will find plenty of opportunity for my new music to be used commercially.”

On May 2nd Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids played their live debut on the main stage at HRH Ibiza Road Trip and went down a storm in front of a packed house to opening the 5-day rock festival!

The band plan a string of single & video releases throughout the summer & will perform their UK debut show In London at Pump It Up Festival on Sat July 2nd.  followed by a demanding schedule of live dates including a 9 date UK tour as special guests to Swedish groove-rockers, The Electric Boys in Aug/Sept to coincide with the release of the debut album. Further headline & festival live dates are planned for the rest of the year in UK & Europe.

https://www.facebook.com/slydersmithandtheoblivionkids
https://www.instagram.com/slyder_smith
https://www.slydersmith.com

Gyasi – ‘Pronounced Jah-See’ (Alive Records)

Gyasi – ‘Pronounced Jah-See’ (Alive Records)

Look at that cover art, now there’s a dude who understands the fine art of being a rock star! Raised in the woods of West Virginia on a diet of 60’s & 70’s rock and a whole host of world music, you could say Gyasi (pronounced Jah-See) had an isolated upbringing. But his time with just his parents record collection and Charlie Chaplin/Buster Keaton movies was all the inspiration he would need to create a theatrical, rock n’ roll persona.

After joining his first band at 15, Gyasi eventually relocated to Nashville to search for the rock n’ roll dream. Now it seems, the newest dandy from the underground is vying to claim the crown of the long-gone rock stars and the bands that are well past their prime.

‘Pronounced Jah-See’ is the first long player on vinyl for this artist. This album collects a bunch of previous singles and new material together on glorious purple wax (other inferior formats are available) and it just begs to be placed on a turntable, the needle to be dropped and the volume to be cranked!

From the opening falsetto vocals and fuzzy guitars of ‘Burn It Down’ to the epic closer ‘Godhead’, Gyasi takes the listener on a pre-digital age tour-de-force of retro rock n’ roll. While the aforementioned opener comes on like Foxy Shazam meets The Darkness, and surely gets my attention, the sublime power pop makes way for the swampy, blues stomp of ‘Tongue Tied’. With a killer guitar harmonizer and some harmonica, it walks the same muddy, southern blues paths that the likes of The Back Keys and The White Stripes have frequented.

You can’t review this album without mentioning the Bowie/Bolan influences, and it doesn’t stop at Gyasi’s fashion sense either. (Yes, Gyasi could be the only man to pull off leopard skin flares and red stack-heeled boots in 2022). ‘Androgyne’ is Ziggy Stardust with countrified slide guitar and well-placed handclaps. ‘Fast Love’ channels T-Rextasy to the max, and ‘Kiss Kiss’ adds some New York Dolls swagger to the mix with honkytonk keys, sexy sax and Johnny Thunders guitar licks. Every song is a banger, hands down, and there’s enough diversity to keep the interest, even for the modern playlist generation.

The thing is that Gyasi is wearing his influences just as well as he wears his threads, man! But he also throws in modern day twists and turns to keep it contemporary. There are hints of Brit Pop going on and he always manages to create killer hooks and choruses that will stick like glue. Take ‘Feed Your Face’, it’s everything glam rock wannabees for the last 40 years have failed to master. Take a pilfered Bowie riff, add a killer chorus and a bunch of handclaps and bobs your uncle, you’ve got a potential hit single!

Then, just when the naysayers will have him nailed as a Bowie rip off artist, he goes and takes the listener on a sentimental trip to Haight-Ashbury. ‘Walk On’ is as Summer Of Love as you can get without putting on a Mamas and The Papas record. A live feel is created with its acoustic intro, it reeks of the San Francisco sun, reefer and doe-eyed hippy chicks with flowers in their hair. Or is it just a Kula Shaker song? I don’t care, all I know is, that it’s the coolest trip my ears have heard in ages and I love it!

Elsewhere, the acoustic ‘Little Tramp’ delivers Led Zep 3 vibes and was probably written around a campfire in the company of faeries, wolves and other such mystical beings. I think I even heard a flute on it! And then to round things off he somehow manages to channel the influences of both Pink Floyd and The Beatles in the epic ‘Godhead’.

Gyasi takes the rock n’ roll swagger of Zeppelin, the bad boy boogie of T Rex and combines the theatre of Queen & David Bowie with the campness of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, all rounded off with catchy hooks and killer choruses that are all of his own making.

While you may argue there is nothing original in rock n’ roll these days, I feel that this album is the most exciting and complete record I have heard this year, hands down. But ‘Pronounced Jah-See’ is more than just a throwback to rock n’ roll’s golden years, it’s a statement of intent that Gyasi is here to take on the world and be the poster boy for the next generation, and that’s just the attitude we want from our rock stars, isn’t it? Music lovers, you ask where the future festival headliners are…I present you Gyasi, give him your stages!

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

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