{"id":16861,"date":"2021-10-15T09:00:21","date_gmt":"2021-10-15T09:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=16861"},"modified":"2021-10-15T07:27:04","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T07:27:04","slug":"the-professionals-snafu-jtp-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=16861","title":{"rendered":"The Professionals – ‘SNAFU’ (JTP Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Remember when the post-Pistols band put together by Paul Cook and Steve Jones returned with the glorious \u2018What In The World\u2019, their first new music for 35 years? That was 4 years ago now, and while they have lost former 3 Colours Red guitarist Chris McCormack and bassist Paul Meyers from the line-up along the way, drummer Cook and Jonesy replacement Tom Spencer have kept themselves busy during these crazy times by enlisting everyone’s favourite go-to back up bassist Toshi JC Ogawa to the fold. They have released a trio of lockdown EP\u2019s and recorded a spanking new album entitled \u2018SNAFU\u2019 with contributions from the likes of Billy Duffy and Phil Collen.<\/p>\n

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\u2018What In The World\u2019 could be classed as a debut album really. With Jonesy only there in spirit (give or take a few guitar licks) and former Loyalties\/Yo-Yo\u2019s frontman Tom Spencer at the helm, it was a modern twist on The Professionals of old, yet it still contained a good deal of rock n\u2019 roll swagger, and more importantly some good fucking songs. A handful of tours and festival dates helped established the band as frontrunners and The Professionals took the sound of \u201877 crashing into the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n

So, now it comes to the tricky second album syndrome, and it’s time to see if the boys have the minerals. \u2018SNAFU\u2019 is an old army term that stands for \u2018situation normal, all fucked up\u2019. This is a term that not only fits with these tumultuous times we live in, but also sums up the dark humour and the tongue-in-cheek lyrical content of this album. Take recent single \u2018Spike Me Baby\u2019 for example. A song written about Cookie\u2019s high times after accidently eating some of his daughter\u2019s pot-laced chocolate. With urgent drums, a high energy feel and a radio friendly melody, it\u2019s a surefire winner. Tom\u2019s raspy voice is perfectly matched by some killer gang vocals in a chorus that sticks to the brain like punk rock toffee. And then there\u2019s \u2018M\u2019Ashes\u2019\u00a0 a tale of the time Cookie transported the ashes Of Jonesy’s mother from London to L.A. All delivered in the best possible taste to a pop punk, post-Pistols rock n\u2019 roll soundtrack.<\/p>\n

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With a top-notch production from go-to guy Dave Draper, these songs straddle a modern, punk rock approach, the style that the likes of the Michael Monroe band and Towers Of London took to heart. But most of all, and probably due to Spencer\u2019s raspy vocals, it’s his former band The Loyalties that come to mind more than anybody else. The cheeky London charm, the low slung riffage and the power house drums of the man who was the backbeat for the Sex Pistols, this is a strong mix ladies and gents, and the songs are up to scratch.<\/p>\n

The singles are obvious highlights, but the glorious \u2018Never Say Never\u2019 and \u2018So Go No\u2019 are full of the sort of punky attitude that will make you keep coming back for more. Elsewhere, \u2018The Elegant Art (Of Falling Apart)\u2019 could be a Michael Monroe album cut, the simple chord progression, the killer verse that builds to a memorable and overly cool gang vocal chorus, what’s not to like here? Then there\u2019s \u2018Only Human\u2019, a song that has to be a future live favourite. Upbeat and euphoric, with a killer hook you will be repeating long after the song has faded. This is without doubt my favourite tune on the goddamn record.<\/p>\n

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I don\u2019t think anyone expected The Professionals would be \u2018a thing\u2019 after they reunited for a celebratory show 6 years ago. Turns out Paul Cook and Tom Spencer are a great writing partnership, but surely even they couldn\u2019t have imagined they would have two quality albums under their belts 6 years later. \u2018SNAFU\u2019 is a quality release that seals the deal for this modern incarnation of The Professionals. Not riding on the past or claiming to reinvent the wheel, Cook and Spencer have crafted 11 honest rock n\u2019 roll songs that sit well in the discography and seal the legacy of the band.<\/p>\n

Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy Here<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: Ben Hughes<\/p>\n