Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids – ‘Charm Offensive’ (Ray Records/Cargo Records)

Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids – ‘Charm Offensive’ (Ray Records/Cargo Records)

Slyder Smith first hit the stage in the mid-90s as guitarist with power pop beat combo, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album the band decided to go on a hiatus and sail down the solo artist route. Although Slyder went public first with his Kickstarter campaign it was Marc who stole the march by releasing his quite brilliant solo album first. All that seemed to do was raise the bar for Slyder who kept his album under wraps until now. Taking center stage with a new band Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass, and Rik Pratt, Drums) Slyder is most definitely on the Charm Offensive with an album made up of equal parts gritty good time Rock n Roll, a dash of glamour and a heap of emotion.

Kicking off proceedings with the Mexican standoff that is ‘El Encantador’ something of an ever so brief spaghetti western intro. then a roll of drums and ‘Calico Queen’ is chomping at the bit with a cheeky smile its got swagger in a 2 steps from the move kinda way with a rollicking saloon piano run and an excellent middle eight and big Bvs its a stonking opener. It’s only going one way from here now the party is started ‘I’m Done’ has a cool groove that’s twisting and grinding towards the chorus.

It’s got an air of confidence about it – that much is obvious even at such early doors. Hell, there’s even a cowbell! With fourteen songs in all you need to make yourself comfortable – hell grab a beer or four this is happening. ‘Crash Landing In Teenage Heaven’ has the soul of Bowie with its dreamy tempo and infectious melody and once the earworm burrows in you won’t get rid of it for days. Sure, you’ve heard it before but when it was the title track of the LGD second album it was all trashy crash bang wallop this is a very different beast and is just about right on the money. A fantastic reinvention of a really good song even if this is next level.

Wait a cotton picking moment, Slyder picks up a banjo for ‘I Don’t Want To Run’ which builds and has the feel of The Libertines or Carl Barat which is no bad thing then the chorus breaks out into a life-affirming chorus. ‘Maya’ is more of the same with a big beating heart its got a gentler delivery and with the bass thumping away high in the mix is excellent and to be fair its a real feature throughout the album, the mix and production is fantastic, and really compliments the songs giving them room to breathe like a fine Red wine. Getting Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths, Sam Brown) to add his talent is well worth it.

Turning up the tempo for ‘Pleasure Victim’ and all its grubby Soho sleaze feels on the money churning up a rocker at just the right time on the record so the listener gets a second wind with some tasty guitar dueling for the lead break works well. ‘Road Love’ enters the fray with plenty of Mott The Hoople swagger in the arrangement and styling.

I’m not sure what to make of the cover of ‘Never Ending Story’ sure Slyder does a great job hitting the vocals right on the money but I never liked the original so I’ll have to give this one a pass but I’m sure there will be plenty who just appreciate it for the tip of the hat to a pop smash hit.

Anyway, Where was I? Oh yes, Rock n Roll haha! ‘Oblivion Kids’ couldn’t come quick enough. Another old Dreamers track reinvented. Maybe more of a straight rocker without the synth throb that the original version from ‘Transmissions From Oblivion’ had. I’m not sure which is the best. The production and sonic boom of this version wins hands down but I quite liked that hovering wobble in the background – hung jury.

Hell, after a brief reprise of the album’s opener we’ve hit the finale and with our poncho on and cigars lit it’s ‘No More Mr. Bad Guy’ as the band rides off into the sunset on this curious closing instrumental.

In summery its a wonderful album full of excellent songs that have well-worked arrangments, sing-a-longs that lift the spirits, and a record you’re happy to play over and over again – There’s no need for a ‘Charm Offensive’ just let the music do the talking let this album whisper sweet sweet nothings into your ear you’ll be in luv L-U-V!

Buy Here

Official website / Facebook ./ Spotify / Instagram / Twitter

Author: Dom Daley

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

Last Great Dreamers – Retrosexual (Ray Records)

Last Great Dreamers – Retrosexual (Ray Records)

Well well well.  This is a blast from the past and pressed on a chunky piece of plastic as well it’s the 25th anniversary of ‘Retrosexual’ so what better way to celebrate than to stick it out fully remastered and on the old deluxe 180g black circle.  Very nice indeed.

Man, I’m feeling a little down holding this record in my hand thinking its been twenty-five years since this was originally released that is until I chuckle at the cover art in the form it was originally intended to be.  I never was concerned about the fact that there was a lady dead or alive underwater but what a ghastly jumper they’re  wearing is that wrong of me? Anyway, any blues I might have had quickly blew away once the needle dropped.

Firstly I notice there are no bells and whistles added or bonus tracks etc which is cool because ‘Retrosexual’ set the bar for Last Great Dreamers and to tinker with the original formula would have been wrong so I’m pleased with that. Secondly, remastering is like the Harry Potter of Rock and Roll acts sort of the dark arts it’s not like remixing its more than that.  Making a record sonically better for record over CD or fit for radio is a whole dark art and once the needle drops on ‘Chrome Tonic’ I’m taken back to a simpler time when rock and roll wasn’t so instant it was harder to find and you had to be in the club to get to know about the new bands and visit venues to catch support bands to see what was out there people seemed more committed to their cause and stumbling across this after reading a review wasn’t a disappointment at all.  The chorus and hook on ‘Chrome Tonic’ is still twenty-five years on such a rush and an instantly gratifying hook.  Bring it on.

I’ll fess up and admit the last time I played this record was when they released ’13 Floor Renegade’ to contrast and compare but I thoroughly enjoyed it then and I’ll admit now hearing the Acoustic vs Electric riff-a-rama on ‘Last Great Dreamer’ in all its trashy delivery is a beautiful thing.  What a tune! It drew from the ’70s glam through the mid-’80s Hanoi rocks years and beyond but it wasn’t just copying it was being inspired and inspiring and that’s the difference, top tune then and top tune now its lost none of its charm and class.

‘Save You’ was a bit tougher but mopped up what was a super strong opening three tracks. Some albums from years ago never live up to the memory I’m not on about your favourite albums that always stay with you but the ones that bubble under. ‘Paper Crown’ was always a beauty with its Bolan meets Bowie glamness with a welcome dose of Ian Hunter – this record should have been a popular hit that much is a tragedy.  I’m glad they are back and going strong and this wasn’t a one-off. They weren’t afraid to soften things like ‘Kings And Keepsakes’ alongside the out and out rockers like ‘Charlie’ and they could boogie-woogie as well like on ‘Only Crime’ and I always liked the Hanoi Rocks DNA that ran through ‘Streets Of Gold’.

Don’t take my word for it go and treat yourself and pick this one up on vinyl. If you’ve not heard it in a while then it’ll be a treat and if you’ve never heard the band then what are you waiting for?  Jump in ignore the tartan trews and platform boots they were never cool but the music is first class and ‘Retrosexual’ is the sound of a band living and loving it and pouring their heart and soul into the grooves of a great record, Buy it!

Facebook

Buy ‘Retrosexual’ 25th remastered edition Here

Author: Dom Daley