{"id":19417,"date":"2022-08-04T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=19417"},"modified":"2022-08-01T20:47:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T20:47:27","slug":"andy-mccoy-jukebox-junkie-cleopatra-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=19417","title":{"rendered":"Andy McCoy – \u2018Jukebox Junkie\u2019 (Cleopatra Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Sheriff McCoy is back in the saddle again, and he\u2019s packing a 14-track shooter of an album. \u2018Jukebox Junkie\u2019 follows his 2019 long player \u201821st Century Rocks\u2019, and is a collection of cover versions by artists that have influenced the ex-Hanoi Rocks guitar legend, songs he feels should get more love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andy\u2019s influences cover a broad spectrum. Whether it be reggae, new wave & punk, or power pop & country, it seems all bases are covered in his own imitable style. Some familiar, some not so, these 14 tracks (only 13 if you\u2019re a vinyl junkie) are obscurities and oddities that need further exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Andy of course handles guitar duties, the lead vocals are shared between other artists on this collection. He does however share lead vocals on several tracks with his bass player and co-producer Matthew Janaitis, but there is a whole host of vocalists on board this project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most notable is CKY singer Deron Miller who sings lead on first single \u2019Take Me I’m Yours\u2019. The highly amusing video for the Squeeze classic bizarrely has Andy lip synching along, looking like Jack Sparrow\u2019s drunken uncle. It\u2019s a great version, the harmony guitars sound great, and the uplifting power pop melody is intact. It gets better with every spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere, Andy\u2019s love of reggae is covered with Toots & The Maytals\u2019 \u201854-46 That’s My Number\u2019, Phil Lynott\u2019s misty-eyed \u2018Solo In Soho\u2019 and Ronnie Wood\u2019s \u2018I Can Feel The Fire\u2019. The latter, with Andy\u2019s familiar vocal drawl and killer guitar break, is suitably ramshackle, fits McCoy to a tee and is just as good as you would want it to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don Williams\u2019 countrified \u2018Shot Full Of Love\u2019 seems to have been written for Andy to sing. The lyrics are full of reflection and sentiment, and seem quite fitting. \u201cI used to be a moonlight bandit, I used to be a heartbreak kid\u201d, he croons before unleashing a guitar solo to match Hanoi\u2019s classic ballad \u2018Don’t You Ever Leave Me\u2019. This could’ve fitted nicely on the Suicide Twins album methinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With retro sounding synths, ringing guitars and haunting female lead vocals courtesy of Sofia Zida, The Divinyls \u2018Back To The Wall\u2019 is brought bang up to date for 2022. There’s a certain power and assertiveness to the vocals that surpasses the original and I just love the delivery and production here. Another killer McCoy guitar break seals the deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll know the funky \u2018I Couldn’t Get It Right\u2019 as soon as you hear that chorus, but whether it’s from the Sunday chart rundown as a kid, or simply as the opening track from Fun Lovin Criminals \u2018Mimosa\u2019 album is purely down to either good luck or good taste! It\u2019s a killer version of the Climax Blues Band tune that adds more rock n\u2019 roll that the smooth FLC take on it. Again, Matthew Janaitis\u2019 vocals work well against the funky backbeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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