Category: Music


Top 7 of ’09

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Monday, December 28th, 2009

The best albums of 2009

Well, hello. I’m sure all of you have been sat on the edge of your seat thinking “my, I wonder what Inno’s top records of the year are” – I can sense these things, y’know. I really can.

It’s just as well for you, dear reader, that I have indeed picked my top records this year… and I will regale you with my top seven right here. Why seven? Why not? Everyone does a top ten, and I’m not everyone. Trust me, I’m special. And not in *that* way.

I would just like to give some honourable mentions to the following – Them Crooked Vultures self titled debut, New Device’s “Takin’ Over“, Spinerette’s self titled record, and Gun’s “Popkiller” (even though it’s only a 5 track EP) as they didn’t quite make my list, but are all worth a listen to in their own right. With no further ado, on with the show!

7. The Answer – Everyday Demons

The big question I and presumably everyone else had was would The Answer be able to follow up their stonking debut or would the ‘difficult second album’ syndrome rear it’s ugly head? The answer – arf – was that they had no such difficulties. Everyday Demons was an amazing record… “Walkin’ Mat” and “Dead Of The Night” rocked out like classic Zeppelin, yet tracks like “Why’d You Take A Chance On Me” having the soul of Bad Company and Free. The Answer proved they were no flash in the pan, and will be at the forefront of the UK rock scene for years to come.
Key Track: Demon Eyes

6. Kiss – Sonic Boom

You know what? You listen to this and you swear you’ve heard it before… and that’s because you more or less have. It’s Kiss! You know what you’re gonna get with Kiss… but they do it better than anyone else out there. Lyrics like “Danger you, danger me, Dangerous” just make you grin, and add them to big riffs, big choruses, huge singalong bits… Kiss tick all the boxes. It’s a return to form… you can almost smell the face paint.
Key Track: Stand

5. Chickenfoot – Chickenfoot

Yup, it’s a supergroup that takes the ones Eddie Van Halen kicked out, adds them to the Chilli’s drummer and Joe Satriani… it’s a recipe for ego and disaster, but it’s not. It works in a big way. I’ve always been a huge fan of Sammy Hagar’s vocals, and he shines all over this. It’s tight, it grooves, it drives… it’s just a great feel good, fun time record. Here’s hoping to Chickenfoot volume 2 in the future.
Key Track: Oh Yeah

4. The Black Crowes – Before The Frost

Let’s get it out of the way, first and foremost: Yes, it does have that ‘Disco Tune’ on it. And it’s not as bad as you’d think. The Crowes, when they’re on, are world class musicians… and on this record, they are definitely on. They riff away as well as anyone, but they’re at their best when they’re playing the blues and hanging their heart on their sleeve. Chris Robinson’s vocals have never sounded so good, and Rich’s guitar playing compliments him rather than trying to steal show. They still don’t half write some nonsensical lyrics at times, but that’s the charm of The Crowes for me.
Key Track: Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)

3. Lynyrd Skynyrd – God and Guns

If you can overlook the iffy politics of Skynyrd – and to be fair, they don’t deny they are Good Ol’ Fashioned rednecks, tracks like “That Ain’t My America” prove that – this is a colossal record. This isn’t Southern Rock as we know it, this is relevant, modern, flowing, and everything you wouldn’t expect from Skynyrd… bar it being good. This is proof that good bands never die, they just hibernate. Smooth vocals, precise guitars, slick riffs… what a record.
Key Track: Still Unbroken

2. Thunder – 20 Years & Out: Live At The Hammersmith Apollo

Yeah, it’s a live album, so what? And yes, I may be biased as I was there, and these guys have been the soundtrack to my life for nearly 20 years… but blow me, if this isn’t the sound of a band going out on a high, then I don’t know what is. The tracklist is just one skillfully crafted song after another… Luke’s guitar playing is awesome at times, and Danny has never sounded so good. It really does make you wish they were still going, but this is as fine an epitaph to a career as anyone could hope for. Incredible energy on stage, and from the crowd… just an awesome, awesome spectacle, none more so than the epic 17 minute finalé of “Dirty Love“.
Key Track: Dirty Love

1. The Wildhearts – Chutzpah!

The most perfect record of the year, by a long shot. One of the most perfect records I’ve ever heard. Ever. From start to finish, it’s a masterpiece. Huge choruses, huger riffs, amazing melodies, incredible vocals… it’s just… perfect. Ginger and the band have never sounded better on record. I’m not joking when I say that every track on the record would have made a great single. And the final two minutes of the record, the tail end of the incredible title track that covers at least 4 different genres… the guitar work on that is as beautiful, and as inspirational as anything I’ve ever heard. Seriously, peeps – do yourselves a favour and at least go check some of this record out. If there was any justice, this would have been all over the charts like a Simon Cowell wet dream.
Key Track: Chutzpah

So there you go. My choices. No doubt they don’t match anyone else’s – but that’s the joy of the Internet. Have a listen to them if you can… and enjoy!

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Rage against the X-Factor

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Sunday, December 20th, 2009

So, yup it’s official. Rage Against The Machine claim the once coveted Christmas number one slot with their festive family singalong favourite “Killing In The Name” beating out poor, little, defenceless Joe McEl-dull-berry into number 2.

Am I happy? Damn right I am. Did I buy it? Damn right I did. But why?

Did I buy it to stick two fingers up to Simon Cowell. In the grand scheme of things, has this cost Simon Cowell money? Lords, no. Joe still sold 450,000 copies of his record, still a sizeable amount. Rage getting to number one probably won’t affect him at all, in any way.

Did I buy it to DAMN THE MAN??? Not really. Rage are on the same label as Joe, albeit on a different subsiduary – but it’s still Sony. Buying a record from Sony to teach Sony a lesson? Not smart.

Did I buy it to teach Joe a lesson? Not especially, although he does annoy the living beejebus out of me. Too many teeth, that boy.

Did I buy it to act cool? Ha, peeps that know me will know that being cool is the furthest thing from my mind at any given time. One look at some of my shirts would prove that.

Did I buy it to resurrect the Christmas number one chase as important? Not especially, but that has been the most notable side effect for me. How long is it since peeps have been hanging on the charts being read out on Sunday evening? I can’t remember the last time there was this much interest in the charts, although a little bell is ringing in my head saying Blur vs. Oasis…

You wanna know why I bought it?

Because I thought it was a bit of a laugh. There. No hidden agenda, no bitter reasons… just for a bit of fun. And yes, I bought more than one copy… but I’m also buying Joe’s single because my son wants it for Christmas. I feel dirty, but I’ll buy it for him. Buying more than one copy of Rage makes me feel like I offset my purchase… like carbon footprinting, if you will.

Seeing Rage Against The Machine on the Christmas Top Of The Pops is something that fills me with a little warm glee… and makes me chuckle. The amount of people – on BOTH sides – that are taking this exceedingly seriously, as if it’s of utmost world importance… they also make me laugh.

Now that Rage have the Christmas number one single, will my life change? No. Neither will Tom Morello’s – or Joe’s, for that matter. The £70,000 odd that has been raised as a result of the Rage campaign? That just might affect a few lives… and that’s a better Christmas present than a hit single, surely.

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Gun kill Pop!

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Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Gun – Popkiller

Gun's 'Popkiller'

Guns don't kill pop... well this one does.

Having just saw them live in Glasgow – review HERE – just had to weigh in with my opinions on the “comeback” mini album Popkiller.

Let Your Hair Down was first aired earlier this year on the mini tour, and I was fortunate enough to hear it during the Edinburgh gig. Loved it at the time, and it’s not overstayed it’s welcome. An ideal pick for a first single release – poppy, quirky, hooky with a chorus more infectious than swine flu, this is a great introduction to the ‘New’ Gun.

Second track Seraphina was also aired at the Glasgow gig, and was a wise choice for me. Huge riffs set this out as perhaps closest to the older Gun material, but that’s by no means a bad thing. The keyboards add an extra layer of depth to the track, and it swirls and climbs into your brain and won’t get out. This was my favourite live track, but on record, it’s a totally different beast – again, by no means a bad thing. Reminiscent slightly of modern rock bands like The Killers?

Popkiller is not only the title track of the EP, but for me is the out and out highlight. I will stick my neck out and say that I don’t think I have heard a song as good as this from anyone all year. The intro is very Roxy Music, but the riff that kicks in after dismisses any such comparisons, and is solid gold. The chorus on this is a thing a beauty, the backing vocals complimenting Toby’s voice. Call me a geek, but I already have the “pop… pop… popkiller” refrain as my text alert on my phone.

Ripping Up The Letters has the uneviable task of following that monster, and does it manfully. The vocal delivery on this is perhaps the closest to Toby’s Little Angels days, but that matters not a jot – this is a finely crafted tale of love gone wrong with a memorable chorus that rattles round your conscience like an old friend turning up on your doorstep out of the blue.

The Only concludes this five track demonstration of what road Gun are travelling on; Gun could be forgiven for easing up and taking a short cut, but this is anything but. A driving guitar hook and strong drumming power this track forward. The vocals and music again dovetail beautifully, and this is another quality piece of songwriting that bodes well for the future of the band. Snappier, poppier, punkier and dare I say it, younger sounding than anything else on the EP, it’s a fitting way to close out the record.

If this five track offering is anything to go by, then the future looks bright for Gun. As a live band, they already cut the mustard – but with these tracks, Gun have shown they have more to offer and more yet to come in an already glittering career.

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Gun on target at the ABC

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Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Gun

Live @ The O2 ABC, Glasgow
December 2nd 2009

So here we are, the final show of the UK tour, and what by all accounts has been a triumphant return to the UK scene. Gun, back from the dead like a rock n’ roll lazarus have been boosted by new drummer Gordon McNeill and veteran (sorry!) vocalist Toby Jepson, once of Little Angels, taking over the mic duties, with brothers Gizzi, Jools and Dante, remaining as the heart and soul of the band on guitar and bass respectively

With the crowd buzzing from excellent support slots by Riot Noise, and especially New Device, Gun rumbled on to stage to the strains of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s classic take on Delilah… and proceeded to blow the roof off the ABC. In front of a home town crowd, every note, every chord and every huge chorus was greeted like a long lost cousin.

Material from the new EP such as Seraphina, Let Your Hair Down and title track Popkiller fitted in seamlessly with the classics, showing enough to demonstrate that this wasn’t just a nostalgia tour, that the new Gun has legs and will travel. For all the new songs showed a poppier edge than some of the older material, there was no return to the dreaded 0141 sound – though even that album’s Crazy You was revived, dusted down and given a rockier take.

The crowd ate up the setlist, cleverly constructed to include the newer material alongside classics, and fan favourite album tracks. Memorable moments on the night being a masterful Steal Your Fire, a stomping Inside Out that included a cover of Police classic So Lonely, and bass player Dante taking over as vocalist on Something Worthwhile sent the already exciteable crowd into rapture – a trick Dante would later reprise in the encore to cover Fight For Your Right (To Party) by the Beastie Boys.

As you’d expect, tracks from the classic debut album were highlights of the night – Better Days and Shame On You in particular being as close to rock n’ roll perfection as I’ve heard in a long time. Gun are a band with one eye on the future, but a firm appreciation for their past, treating those songs with all the respect they deserve.

The new line up gets better and better every time they take to the stage, Toby Jepson in particular laying to rest any doubts that he couldn’t step into the considerable shoes of Mark Rankin. Jools’ guitar work and enthusiasm for the show were incredible at times, and Dante’s powerful bass playing dovetailed perfectly with Gordon’s intense drumming.

When the final strains of Word Up echoed out of the speaker system, and a sweat soaked Gun taking in the applause of an enthusiastic crowd, you realised just what a powerhouse Gun were, and on this evidence, can be again.

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Fun night for Green Day

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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Green Day live @ SECC October 19th 2009

Arriving at the Big Grey Shed a little late meant I missed the support band. Nobody inside said anything good about them, so I presume that there wasn’t much to miss. I did, however, arrive in time to see a 6 foot tall pink bunny dancing to YMCA on stage, surely a better bet.

The set predictably opened with Song of the Century from the latest record. What wasn’t as predictable, for me anyway, was the assembled throng of Scots fans singing it back at the guys note for note before they even arrived on stage. They burst on to stage and launched into 21st Century Brekadown to a shower of applause, screams and even pyro. Yup folks, this is a Green Day arena show and that means production values that would put the X-Factor to shame.

This ain’t the snot nosed, bratty Green Day that fought their way to the top, kicking and screaming. No, this is – whisper it – a mature Green Day. This is a Green Day that could easily lay claim to being the best live rock show doing the rounds right now. As smooth and professional as they undoubtedly are – and they even boast a saxophone player now – they can still roll back the years and rock out like demented mother… hubbards when they want to; case in point being an incendiary Hitchin’ A Ride that morphed into Welcome To Paradise… they could bottle it and sell it as audio paint stripper.

From the moment Billie Joe launched into his first “Heeeeeey-oh” of the night, the crowd were like putty in his ickle tiny hands. He had people on stage dancing with him; he had one 55 year old man fall over flat on his back when he proclaimed to save his soul; he had one kid almost steal the show with his rendition of Longview, complete with stage prowling, headbutting the cymbals and eventual stage dive… it was just that kind of night.

They aren’t prototypical punks any more. And for me, that’s a good thing. Everything has to evolve eventually. The Green Day experience is now more of a party than a rock show, including but not limited to water pistols, toilet paper cannons, T-Shirt guns, crowd surfing, confetti, and dammit, some meaty guitar riffs that get in your head, set up camp and refuse to leave. All of that combined? It just leaves one HUGE grin on your face, the kind that won’t go away for days.

They covered everything in their arsenal – from the “good old days” right up to new stuff, and even threw in some Mozart (don’t ask) to boot. Old schoolers, like me, were like kids in a candy shop when they wheeled out Going To Pascalaqua from 39/Smooth… although I got the impression from round me that a lot of the kids who are like, their biggest fans EVER in the whole wide world either just didn’t know it or flat out thought it was a new track. Humph.

In amongst all the madness, it should be noted that the main set was over 2 hours long, and even threw in some brief snippets of Black Sabbath, and an Eisley Brothers tune that featured a sing-along featuring The Doors, The Stones, Ben E King and even Travis! Biggest cheers of the night were obviously for the hits – American Idiot in the first encore was greeted like the second coming of Jeebus, Basket Case nearly blew the roof off, and even the slower, sombre final encore of Last Night On Earth, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Good Riddance, performed acoustically and solo by Billie Joe left the crowd grinning like demented Batman villains.

Nope, peeps might accuse Green Day of selling out… and they did. They sold the SECC out, and probably could have done it twice over. I was a little sceptical about going to this show, but by the time I left… it was something unpredictable, but in the end was right – I guess I had the time of my life…

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Run for the hills! Here come The Wildhearts!

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Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

The Wildhearts – Chutzpah!

Ginger, it has to be said, is one of the coolest men alive. I remember what he did to Kerrang! so I’m just making sure I’m on his good side. Bribery and self preservation aside, that fact is still very much true. Any record Ginger has his fingers in is generally going to be of a high standard.

The Wildhearts are one of “those” bands… you know, the fans rave about them, get obsessed and moan and whine about how it’s a travesty they’re not more succesful. You know someone like that, hell you might even BE someone like that. You know what though? With the Wildhearts, it’s the truth. They should be massive. If you want to know why, then Chutzpah! is just the record for you.

Is this the record that will crack the mainstream for this rag tag band of musical messiahs? In a fair and just world, yes. Definitely. Play this record to anyone and they will find something to latch on to. From the gentle, fragile piano intro of Low Energy Vortex, to the almost-but-not-quite stadium rock “woah-oh” chorus of Mazel Tov Cocktail, this record covers all bases; in the case of the title track, sometimes within the same song. The last 2 minutes of this record are heart wrenchingly beautiful, not a phrase that you would associate usually with this band, but trust me – it’s true.

The Jackson Whites is the best album opener you will hear all year. Fact. Chutzpah! is the finest album closer you will hear this decade. Also fact. In between those incredible bookends is some of the finest music you will ever have the pleasure to enjoy. It’s heavy, yet delicate; it’s epic while being precise and to the point; it’s eclectic without being pretentious.

In short, this record is quite simply, amazing. Don’t take my word for it – this record deserves to be heard. The production is huge, the riffs are massive, the vocals are tight and the choruses are epic. Friends, I’ve listened to many an album during my time on this planet… and this is already up there with my favourites after less than a week of it entering my life.

Songs such as You Took The Sunshine From New York and Low Energy Vortex would be standout tracks for most bands. Not for the Wildhearts. These tracks are great, but you know what? Plastic Jebus is better. The Only One is better still. Chutzpah may just be musical perfection, I’ve not decided yet. But I will. I will grow old with this record, and still discover things on it with every listen.

The Wildhearts used to be the band guaranteed to hit the self destruct button if things got good – PHUQ should have made them the superstars that Earth vs. The Wildhearts hinted they could be – but now? They’ve grown up. They’ve (whisper it) matured. They’re not going away this time, and they want to blow you away. And you know what? They’re gonna do it whether you’re ready or not.

Buy this record. Your life may just depend on it…

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Thunder: A Retrospective – part five

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Saturday, May 30th, 2009
Giving The Game Away

Giving The Game Away

Giving The Game Away (1999)

And so we move on to the fifth studio album from everyone’s – well, mine – favourite London rockers. Giving The Game Away was to be the last record before the first career break. I’ll be blatantly honest too – it’s also the one I was looking forward to reviewing the least as well. For whatever reason – maybe the split had something to do with it – I didn’t really connect with this record. Will time have mellowed my opinion of it? Only one way to find out…

The record opens with the single Just Another Suicide (You Wanna Know) and for some reason I seem to recall some kind of controversy surrounding this. Not much, but there was definitely something, and for the life of me, I don’t know what. In any case, this is a typical Thunder rockin’ single – the guitar riffs and solos are spot on, Danny’s vocals effortlessly assured and new boy Chris Childs bass rolls along very merrily. This often gets overlooked, and it’s not easy to pin down why. So far so good!

Following on we have All I Ever Wanted, a slower number, and I’m sure I detect a touch of steel guitar in there too. This to me has echoes and touches of a Beatles song – maybe it’s the production, which is very slick – but I’m just reminded slightly of Free As A Bird. There’s nothing bad about this track, but on the other hand, there’s nothing outstanding about it either, to be honest. Not one of my favourites, I must admit.

Time for the title track, and Giving The Game Away seems to me to continue the Beatles vibe. I must admit I’m just not digging this track, and it really doesn’t do a lot for me. Yes, it’s a departure for the boys – and they do sound like a band growing and maturing – but I’m afraid it does nothing for me, especially the distorted vocal effect in places.

You’ll Still Need A Friend returns the guys to more familiar ballad territory. This was one of my fave tracks on the record at the time and still is. A very simply constructed song, but performed beautifully. Danny excels on this kind of song, where he has to put his own stamp onto the lyrics. His voice is one of the most soulful rock voices ever to be committed to record, and this song is a great vehicle for that. Great track.

Rolling The Dice, however, is my absolute favourite track on this record. From a mellow, laid back opening, it kicks into high gear, and with Danny growling the lyrics over a swaggering Faces-like backing, this track just oozes class. This was always the track that I returned to from this record when I dipped in and out of my Thunder collection on the old iPod.

Following on from that we have Numb – the type of song that Thunder have done for years as good as anyone in the business. With a piano opening, and a touch of Benny’s organ – oo-er missus! – Luke and Danny weave a tale of woe around the superb chorus, the song sticking in your memory like an old friend, it’s just an superbly crafted slice of rock music. Classic, classic Thunder.

And here we go – I knew it was coming soon… Play That Funky Music. I love the song, I love the guys’ take on it – but for me, it’s just the sound of a band on auto-pilot. I’d much rather have had another original, or a different song covered on the album. This just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the record. And yes, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with the track, I just can’t get ‘into’ it the way I would like to.

That is something that can‘t be said for ‘Til It Shines – another slower paced number. You wouldn’t want to be an acoustic guitar in the recording sessions for this record, you’d have taken a real hammering! I’m seeing a pattern in the record, in that the slower numbers are grabbing me more than the faster ones (Rolling The Dice excepted) and this carries that trend on. There’s a real dark edge to this track, which I do like every now and then. Bonus points for the excellent harmonies from Danny & Luke on vocals, too!

It’s time to rock out once again – and Time To Get Tough. See what I did there? No? Oh well, please yourself… back to the song now and I’m digging the weird vibe on this one, and the chorus is built on a huge riff, but for whatever reason, I just don’t feel into this track either. This is the problem I had at the time when I was listening to this record – it just didn’t have the same feel as the previous records.

Yes, people and bands need to evolve and change, but this didn’t feel like a change for the better at the time. The split was vindication of that feeling to me, as rough as that announcement was on me back then – and trust me, it’s worse now!

Penultimate track on the record is next and It’s Another Day is that track. Sharp vocals as usual from the always energetic Mr. Bowes – but I gotta say, this is just a fairly middle of the road track by Thunder’s awesomely high standards. Only the chorus makes any impression on me, and I can barely remember the lyrics – unusual for me with Thunder songs. It’s not a filler, it’s just… there.

Finishing off the record comes It Could Be Tonight, possibly inspired by the National Lottery? Probably not, but you never know. This is another track like the previous one, that just seems to amble along quite merrily, without ever offering anything mind blowing. The usual high standards from everyone playing and singing, but it’s just not memorable for me.

Overall, I think I’ll pretty much stand by my first impressions of the record. There are undoubtedly a couple of stand out, excellent tracks on the album – but as a whole album, it just didn’t thrill me the way I feel Thunder records do. This remains my least listened to of all Thunder’s albums; while I know a lot of people really loved this album – it just wasn’t for me. With the knowledge that this was to be the last studio record before the split, it does feel like a band winding down – and after The Thrill Of It All, that’s somewhat of a disappointment for me. Recommended for enthusiasts,  but sadly, by no means an essential purchase. And I feel dirty typing that!

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Thunder: A retrospective – part four

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Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
The Thrill Of It All

The Thrill Of It All

The Thrill Of It All (1997)

A lot had happened in Thunder-land since the release of Behind Closed Doors a year  or so previous. A compilation album with a couple of new tracks (Higher Ground ‘95 and the charting single In A Broken Dream) entitled Their Finest Hour… And A Bit signalled the end of the EMI years of Thunder’s career. A deal was signed with Castle and Thunder suddenly had their own B- Lucky label.

A change in personnel saw Mikael Hoglund has to part ways with the band, and Luke is left to cover the bass parts for the recording of this record. Chris Childs would be recruited in time for the tour and has stayed ever since… and a mighty fine chap he is too. Handy with crayons and designery stuff too, I hear… but I digress… I remember this album a lot as I attended a album launch party in Edinburgh and won a swag bag full of Thunder goodies, which I still have to this very day!

Opening with Pilot Of My Dreams, the scene is set. It’s business as usual for the guys, with a great riff, rolling bassline and solid vocals. This is the sound of a band firmly in control of their own destiny, and for me, it shows. The only gripe I have about this track is that it was possibly a missed opportunity – I always thought this would have made a great single, and it still sounds good to this day.

Living For Today is a slight departure, as the first voice you hear on lead vocals… is Luke. Yup, Danny takes a backseat (or if you see it live, I believe he plays maracas at this point…) and Luke puts his own more than adequate voice in the frame. This is another song I love – the guitar work on this is simply fantastic. It’s just so well put together and executed, and just so essentially Thunder at heart. One of the highlights of many on this record.

Love Worth Dying For is the first slower track on the record, and would prove to be the second – and last – single from the album. This is the beauty of Thunder – they are just as adept at playing a more introspective, soul searching number like this as the full on, faster rocking numbers. Great vocals, and a dash of always welcome organ courtesy of Mr. Matthews makes this for my ears one of the finest tracks Thunder ever committed to record.

Following that, weirdly, is the lead off single from the album, Don’t Wait Up. Now, here’s a bane of contention for me. I never really felt that this was anything great on record. There were more deserving tracks on the album to be released as a single. Of course, played live, this song is a monster… but at the time I didn’t really dig it as a single. It’s by no means filler material, far from it – I just didn’t get into it as much as a couple of the other tracks included here.

Something About You is an often overlooked track in my book. It’s a great, bluesy, rambling monster of a song. The lyrics tell a tale of a man seemingly running away from love gone wrong and his friends trying to rally round him and get him to stay. Occurs to me that he may be joining the army? Maybe just my take on it… really interesting take on the usual love lost stories in songs. I love the feel and the texture of the guitars on this track, and it’s still one of my favourites on the record.

Welcome To The Party… well, what needs to be said? If you’re a Thunder fan, and you saw them live during this period, or saw the live DVD – you know this was the set opener, and got the crowd jumping from the off. Perhaps the most obviously political song Luke wrote, it’s a foot-stomping, fist raising anthem to the rise of ‘New’ Labour. Course, they’ve just turned out to be like every other political party in the intervening years, but that’s a tale for another blog and another blogger. This cat is happy just writing about the music… and in this case, the music is good.

The title track weighs in next – and again, time has been really kind to this. The one thing that’s even surprised me is how well this record has stood the test of time. I haven’t really listened to it all the way through, but all the songs are still in memory like long lost friends. This is a classic track, Danny’s vocals on this are sublime. There seems to be a Pink Floyd-ish feel in places, and hey, that’s no bad thing. The Thrill Of It All tells a tale of love actually in the middle of going wrong, and finding the strength to know when it’s time to call it a day and walk away… Thunder’s take on the break up song? Undoubtedly, and it really works well. Just brilliant.

Then comes Hotter Than The Sun. Not sure what vibe the band were going for here, but it comes across as a bunch of guys, confident in their skills, loosening up from the shackles of what is their perceived genre and just really, really having fun. And you know what? It works. I love this track. The funky riff and bass-line combo get in your head and stick there. Again, seems to be a very pessimistic take on relationships – not wanting to admit defeat because your lady is fine looking? A noble tale indeed!

Entering the home stretch now, and with it comes one of my favourite tracks – the epic, sweeping This Forgotten Town. A truly amazing chorus is the centrepiece of this track, with great harmony vocals and subtle, yet powerful delivery from Mr. Bowes putting the icing on the musical cake, if that’s not mixing too many metaphors. For me, this was the precursor to future Thunder classics – and hey, that’s no bad thing.

From the sublime to.. Well, not ridiculous. Cosmetic Punk just never gelled with the rest of the record for me. It would have been a good B-side, but I can’t honestly say it deserved a place on the record ahead of say, “Every Word’s A Lie” or “Somebody To Love”. That’s not to say it’s not a fine crafted track, as let’s face it, all of Thunder’s songs tend to be – it just doesn’t fit in with the record, and I’ll be honest, it’s one of the few tracks that I tend to skip past.

Maybe skipping past it is because I know what’s next – the final track on the record is to this day one of my all time favourite songs, Thunder or otherwise – the awesome, incredible, heartfelt You Can’t Live Your Life In A Day. For my money, Thunder have never written a greater song than this. Seriously. I absolutely love it. Danny’s vocals on this push him into the elite band of rock singers – ever. I just can’t express how much this song makes me tingle in a special place usually reserved for climbing the rope in gym class… erm… that’s probably too far!

And of course, the Moonlight Club interlude at the end of the disc? Well, it’s probably worth buying the disc for just to hear Danny’s Basil Brush style giggling fit as he proclaims himself to be Ozzy Osbourne!

So this record, their first post-EMI, could have signalled the beginning of the end for them – but instead it became a statement of intent from a supremely confident bunch of people – and signalled that they remained a force in British rock music. Time has also treated this record well – it’s aged incredibly well, and stands up as one of their finest moments. Exceedingly highly recommended!

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Thunder: A retrospective – part three

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Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Behind Closed Doors (1995)

Behind Close Doors

Behind Closed Doors

Three years passed between the release of Laughing on Judgement Day and this, Thunder’s third album. Behind Closed Doors. In those three years, founding bassist Snake Luckhurst left the band to be replaced by Swedish four-stringer Mikael Hóglund. This would be Mikael’s only record with the band, and I was reliably informed by my girlfriend at the time that he was “a hottie” – quite often in fact. Repeatedly, one might say.

Anyway, I digress. Upon release, the record reached #5 in the UK charts, and all 3 singles hit the UK top 40, again with little or no airplay or real media promotion, a trend that would become more and more evident as the years passed. In terms of sound, the record had a harder edge to my ears, and didn’t suffer for it. The cover art is again excellent, and a signed framed poster of it can be found hanging in my hallway to this very day!

Enough of the background info, on to the music itself!

The album opens with the HUGE, grungy hook of Moth To The Flame. This is easily the heaviest track that Thunder had come out with to this point, and still stands up strong to this day. With the impact of grunge on the US and world scene, a lot of people took this as perhaps Thunder’s attempt to subtly shift styles slightly; I don’t see it as anything as blatant as that – it’s just a great hook with darker than usual lyrics. With all the problems that Thunder had in between albums, it’s hardly surprising the lyrical fare was hardly sweetness and light.

Lightening up slightly was the next track, Fly On The Wall. Taking a sly swipe at the paparazzi and the desire for celebrity gossip, this was perhaps a missed single opportunity. It’s got a great strong bassline, big horns, and great vocals as usual from Danny. The backing vocals of Benny, Luke and Harry also shine through on this – the harmonies are slick and polished. All in all, a good solid track, if nothing truly spectacular.

Back to Thunder 101 now with a slow, moody ballad. I’ll Be Waiting is another tale of love gone wrong. Opening with a soft hook and expanding with some keyboards, Danny’s soulful, almost pained vocals take centre stage, and rightly so. Danny’s voice always had power, but this is perhaps the record where the power was controlled and mellowed out into what I regard as the best kept secret in rock music. Honestly, it’s not inconceivable to hold Danny Bowes up with the likes of Paul Rodgers and David Coverdale as the UK’s finest ever rock voices.

Up next, the second single River of Pain, still a favourite on the live shows, and very much a typical Thunder track. Controlled riffing from Benny and Luke back up a solid rhythm from Harry and new boy Mikael – and what else is left to be said about Danny’s vocals? As much as this was a good single and rocks out, there was something just formulaic about this track that still doesn’t sit quite right with me. It’s by no means bad, but just doesn’t stick out like a Higher Ground or Love Walked In does.

Future Train, on the other hand, gets in your brain and refuses to move. From the Eastern flavoured intro, to the chugging riff that really does remind you of a train, this is for me the finest song on this record. Luke’s lyrics on this one were overtly political for the first time, complaining about “a leader with an agenda to hide” and being generally pessimistic about the whole political system and the future in general, this was a departure of sorts for the band, and worked very well.

‘Til The River Runs Dry remains one of the hardest songs to listen to that Thunder have committed to record. A song about domestic violence and the effect on a young woman, the hugely moving lyrics are backed up with strings and understated playing from the band that allows Danny to carry this song along. If you know anyone that’s been in this situation, it really will bring a tear to your eye. A fine reminder of just how powerful music can be at times, and one of Thunder’s most under rated moments.

Moving swiftly along, we come to the first single from this record, and one of the best riffs the band have produced. Stand Up hit the charts and heralded the first “comeback” that Thunder made from the wilderness of Record Company Hell. The riff is great, and for once Danny’s voice isn’t the focal point, allowing Luke’s guitar playing to step forward. Another live favourite, even to this day.

Controversial moment approaching? Possibly. Preaching From A Chair was the first time Thunder had – and whisper this gently – swore on record, albeit a mere “I can’t stomach bullshit when it’s preaching from a chair”. Being brutally honest, musically, this track just plods along like a mid paced album filler, but the lyrics – dissecting the music business and the sudden fascination for grunge bands and image over substance – are superb. The final minute or so does provide a great funky double guitar synchronised riff and a huge rock scream from Danny, so it does redeem itself!

The third and last single from the record, Castles In The Sand is a strange beast. On paper, it’s just a good old fashioned “love left me, oh woe is me, but I’ll live” kind of song, but it’s transformed into an almost epic tale by some top notch musicianship. The huge chorus is amazing, and that riff gets in your head and melts your brain at times, yet still shifts back into a nice, quiet, laid back number in time for each verse. Very, very good.

Too Scared To Live is by far the lightest moment on the record. A funky, almost 70s porn guitar riff is the basis, and the band seem right on the money with their take on this one. Telling the tale of a man taken in by all the warnings that modern life seems to give us, it’s light hearted, but there are serious undertones to it as well. The sheer unadulterated funkfest that seems to envelope the entire band is infectious, and you can’t help but smile all the way through it.

But back to Serious Rock next with Ball and Chain – another song designed to tell you that hell, your life sucks but you can change. It’s almost Higher Ground part two, to be honest. A big riff, thumping drums and a pounding bassline all contribute to this song, and another huge harmony filled chorus gives this song such a great swagger, it’s an instant foot tapper. Blind Lemon Morely’s harmonica also makes a welcome appearance, although no sign yet of Danny’s infamous Kazoo skills…

It Happened In This Town closes off the record and it’s a heavy, introspective number. Lyrically, extremely dark and seemingly based on child abuse, it’s another song that, if you allow yourself to be lost in it, could bring you to tears. This is easily the darkest song that Luke has ever written. Even the guitar and organ break in the middle that allows Danny to really cut loose with some venomous vocals serves to make the whole track even more ominous.

So overall, how did Behind Closed Doors fare? It inevitably suffered from the change in the musical scene since Laughing On Judgement Day, but it still stands tall as a good record. However, it just doesn’t have the instant appeal of the first two records, and there are no jaw droopingly good tracks that can compare to Love Walked In or Low Life In High Places.

That’s not to say it’s a bad record – it’s not. But is it Thunder’s best? No. Much slicker than the first two records, and a sign of the band growing in stature and confidence. As such, it’s highly recommended, but not an essential purchase.

/// EDIT: It’s since been pointed out to me that Castles In The Sand also hit the UK singles chart, so that information has been added to the review. ///

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Thunder: A retrospective – part two

Filed under: Music — 2 Comments
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Laughing on Judgement Day (1992)

Laughing On Judgement Day

Laughing On Judgement Day

So, 2 years on from what is widely regarded as a great debut – Thunder faced the “difficult” second album… that album would turn out to be Laughing on Judgement Day. Released in August of 1992, it stuck to the same formula of Backstreet – with Luke Morley assisting producer Andy Taylor behind the desk being the only real change.

This would prove to be Thunder’s most commercially viable record, entering the charts at a staggering #2 on release. And all 4 singles released from it hitting the top 40, with A Better Man providing a top 20 hit. For a lot of Thunder fans, it’s one of the most pleasurable albums to listen to and does contain a glut of genuine quality. It is also record that original member Snake Luckhurst would appear on, and without doubt the best cover to any Thunder record until Robert Johnson’s Tombstone.

The record opens up in a similar vein to Backstreet Symphony with a mid paced rocker, Does It Feel Like Love? For me this one of Danny’s best vocal performances ever and a stunning way to set the tone of the record. The production is stepped up just a notch, cleaner and sharper – perhaps some of the songs lose a little with that? When played live, a lot of the tracks here sounded rawer, more urgent and didn’t feel any worse for it.

Following the opener is one of the four singles, Everybody Wants Her – and perhaps Thunder’s most obvious commercial moments. Complete with keyboards and horns it’s certainly not a bad track, but seems to be set out to sound good on a radio station, rather than sit at home on a Thunder record. Having said that, it’s one of the 5 tracks on the record that Luke didn’t write himself, with Benny, Danny and Harry all contributing. Decent enough, if not grab-you-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck spectacular.

Which is where the next track comes in… Given a big budget for the video, Low Life In High Places was the lead off single for the album, and is one of those stone cold Thunder classic songs that should have been huge. Dealing with the issue of homelessness, it starts out with an acoustic intro, before kicking in with a HUGE riff, infectious chorus and an equally huge performance from Danny on vocals. This has become a live favourite, and indeed one of the moments when Danny gets to strut his stuff and demonstrate his vocal prowess. Utterly, utterly brilliant.

The title track, Laughing On Judgement Day, is up next. Following Low Life… is a hard task though and it maybe gets lost in the mix a little. While the subject matter of commercialism and working at the expense of your family is a fine one, the song perhaps doesn’t really have enough kick to remain in the memory for too long. Harry’s drumming is monstrous on this track though, it has to be said.

Empty City is for me, the best track on the record, and right up there with the best work that Thunder have put out over the years. Atmospheric, dark, brooding, sprawling… all of these and more apply to this seven minute monster of a track. Danny’s soulful Paul Rodgers-esque vocals hold your attention while the sublime guitar work of Benny and Luke draw you in further.

The riff that explodes in the mid section is big and bold enough to knock down a house, and would make Status Quo cry into their blue denims and trainers. Seriously, this is one of those “How were they never big?” moments that Thunder records and gigs seem to be full of. Worth looking out this record JUST for this track.

Following on from that was never an easy task, but Today The World Stopped Turning just about manages it. While it’s not a show stopper, it’s not a simple filler either. A nice mid paced moment with a big chorus to ease you back into things. A nice old fashioned pure love song, and no worse for it.

With a hammond organ intro, presumably courtesy of the multi talented Mr. Matthews, Long Way From Home is a slow burning track. Again, Danny’s vocals are soulful and passionate, a trend on this record, and no bad thing. The chorus on those is a huge sing-along moment, and it’s a shame this was never really played beyond the tour to back this record up.

Make sure your volume is up to hear Harry’s comedy intro to Fire To Ice followed by the call to ‘Get On With It’ and a HUGE riff, one of the best Luke and Ben have ever committed to record and a staple of my Thunder playlists. This song about alcoholism is far from a mid record moment, and could theoretically have been another single. The chorus on this is incredible, and Danny’s vocals, again, impeccable.

Another huge riff brings in Feeding The Flame, a simple song about love once lost, but with a typical Thunder twist on it. This record really has some of the best riffs that the band ever produced, small wonder a lotf fans absolutely love it. Not much to really say about this track, it is, while pretty damned good, just… ‘there’.

Onto the biggest hit taken from the record, a #18 stormer! A Better Man features ‘Blind Lemon’ Morley on harmonica as mentioned on stage numerous times by Danny. Ironic, as when performed live, this is often when Danny takes a break and drummer Harry James steps forward with acoustic guitar in hand to take over lead vocals… On record however, this is such a beautiful song, and one of my all time favourites. Simple chords, simple melodies, simple harmonies… not everything has to be technically complicated to provide an amazing song. This is a great, great song and again, should have been a bigger hit than it was.

Following on from that is another one of my personal favourites, another song about love and it’s many woes. The Moment Of Truth will never win any prizes for originality – it does have a distinctly Lenny Kravitz feel in places – but hell, it rocks and the lyrics are truly awesome in my mind… Play it loud and screech along to the chorus, peeps… you know you want to!

Yeah, this next one? Flawed To Perfection is the title, and an apt description. It’s so bad in places that it’s good! “There’s a ladder in her stockings that I’d love to climb / I’m hot under the collar for the hundredth time” – not Luke’s finest hour! The song is carried by a great riff, and the fact you can sense the guys laughing as they’re playing it. It’s just a silly, throwaway little song. Nothing more, nothing less.

Like A Satellite was the last single from the record, and seems a logical, solid Record Company choice. It’s a big, sweeping 5 minute rock ballad that the radio stations eat up. Granted, it’s one of the better examples, with Harry’s inspired drumming backing up an understated riff and allowing Danny’s soaring vocals to carry this one, along with a glorious twin guitar solo that could have been lifted from the Eagles or Thin Lizzy.

To close the record, Baby I’ll Be Gone is a great choice. It’s sleazy, dirty, hook gets in your brain and won’t get out, and as per the norm for this record, Danny’s vocals are spot on. Track for track, I really don’t think Danny has ever sounded better on record than over these 14 tracks. A nice easy way to close out the record.

So does it live up to the standards of Backstreet Symphony that every Thunder record is eventually judged against? Yes. It’s not as good, but it’s not THAT far off it. It’s vastly under-rated as a stand alone record in it’s own right, as far as I’m concerned. It’s got it’s down moments, sure, but it more than makes up for those. Not as an essential purchase as Backstreet… but get it anyway!

“Once in a while, I drift in time…
to a place in my memory that it still hurts to find.
I was takin’ on the world with a see through smile,
but dyin’ on the inside all the while”
– Thunder, A Better Man

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