So, former Sisters Of Mercy founder Gary Marx emerges from the onstage fog to release an album of unbridled joy and retro rock n roll with a pair of Glitter stack boots on to stomp on those fuzz pedals and he also brings a bunch of old pals along for the ride.  Wayne Hussey, Miles Hunt, and John Robb among others join in with vocals, handclaps and timely places high kicks in satin pants and boy make sure those belt loops are big enough to get man-size thumbs in for the dance-off.

Gary said he wanted to be fourteen again and do something joyful and silly but do it properly and boy did he nail that remit. Sweet, David Bowie, T Rex, Suzi Quatro, and Slade are all in there but with 2024 production values. Remember those TOTP albums we had in the 70s well this is the modern equivalent of original bangers from the Hussy vocals on ‘Stone Cold Solid Gone’ and an enthusiastic Miles Hunt adding to ‘Here Comes Seventeen’ I’m already all in and sold on this retrotastic jaunt back in time to when things seemed simpler and less stressful so on that front its mission accomplished.

Jane Murphy sings on the dreamy ‘Sugarcane’ Hell there’s even motorcycle engines on ‘Slingshot’. I’m sure satin gloves and shades were compulsory during the recording song titles like ‘Stardust #5’ leave you in no doubt where the mindset was but the songs are retro but fill your heart with joy and happiness and they’re excellently executed. Hussey returns for ‘Wicked Ways’ and delivers the album’s best song. A vibrant jive and some excellent arrangments going on beneath the 70s glam that give the whole trip a gloss and modern sheen. The album gets down n dirty for ‘Babylon Bop’ with added Evil Blizzards Filthy dirty also riffing it up on guitars.

You have a solid consistent rock n roll party for most of the album with only a fleeting detour into balladry for ‘All The Way From Munster’ tripping on its satin flares into some Mott The Hoople balladeering for a most welcome diversion complete with wonderful and sincere soloing.

Well, in conclusion, the MO is complete and it is a Slade sized thumbs up from RPM HQ for this sixteen-song trip down memory lane and a real tonic it’s been so get the Rothmans and Watneys party seven in were having a party and Marx is on the decks. Get involved kids you know you want to.

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Author: Dom Daley