Given the extremely volatile nature of the Jesus & Mary Chain at the best of times, it was anyone's guess as to how their comeback album would turn out but as it turned out, it was a good effort, somewhere between "Automatic", "Honey's Dead" and "Munki". There's always been a lot more to this group than just the "Psychocandy" album and "Damage And Joy" proved that they've still got it all these years later.
19. SULO - "Sulo's Full English" (Review here)
"Full English" saw the former Diamond Dogs frontman tipping his hat to the British bands who've influenced his music down the years and the result was an uplifting sonic brew mixing the Stones, the Feelgoods, the Faces and the Who ranging from big anthemic singalongs to surprisingly gentle ballads. Add in a guestlist featuring the likes of Wilko Johnson, Spike from the Quireboys and Dave Tregunna from Sham 69 and Lords of the New Church and you were on to a winner here.
Dan Baird may have been in this game longer than most but on the evidence of "SoLow" his ability at writing a great tune definitely isn't waning at all. More reflective than his recent work with Homemade Sin, songs like "Get Out And Go", "Won't Take Much" and "She's With Me" see him looking back at his life and the path he's taken to get where he is. Happily recovered from a recent health scare, here's hoping that he'll be around to give us plenty more good albums like this in years to come.
Like the Len Price 3, Buster Shuffle are one of those bands who've made some decent inroads abroad in Europe and the States but mysteriously haven't quite caught on yet in their home country. On the evidence of "I'll Take What I Want", it's about time that changed. The cheerful and chirpy Madness indebted ska of their previous albums is still in evidence but there's growing signs of a new social conscience and the anger that comes with it showing that this band are moving forwards and doing it well.
Reforming for their first album in 24 years, "Four" was a real shock for anyone who thinks that all late '80s sleaze bands are simply content to rehash old glories nowadays. Although Circus of Power's biker rock sound of old is still in evidence in places here, "Four" sees them pushing things forward with a collection of chaotic missives that's one part "Brick By Brick" era Iggy and one part "Sonic Temple" era Ian Astbury. A great comeback and a real eye-opener as to what the 21st century version of CoP are capable of.
To celebrate their 40th anniversary, the Vibrators decided to pull off the mother of all band reunions with the original line-up joining the current one in the studio for a new album. With five songwriters on board, this could have got very messy but the result was a great varied album taking in elements of punk, glam and even rockabilly and reggae and the strongest offering from the Vibrators for a good few years.
One of the most sinister albums you'll hear this year, Deadcuts' sophomore effort saw them channelling the spirit of early '80s goth and new wave like Bauhaus, the Sisters of Mercy and the Jesus & Mary Chain to suitably gloomy effect. And like all the best '80s goth music, there was a dark undercurrent that just wouldn't let you go after that first listen.
Three years on from the untimely demise of his previous group the Jim Jones Revue and "Super Natural" saw the eponymous Mr Jones taking a turn into much darker and murkier waters with his new group the Righteous Mind. Sounding like Nick Cave and Screaming Jay Hawkins crooning the blues on the bayou after several shots of fireball whiskey, this was a dark and brooding beast of an album but one that you found yourself noticing new tricks on with every listen.
Like their previous efforts, "The Wild Sounds..." sees the Lords of Altamont wading into a massive ruck between the hippies and the bikers circa 1970 and emerging with the prime scalps from both sides. From the scuzzed-up garage rock of "Death On The Highway" to the ultra-sinister blues rock of "Evil (Is Going On)", this was the sound of a band going full throttle and coming up with some of their best work to date.
11. THE DARKNESS - "Pinewood Smile" (Review here)
I have to be honest and say that I thought the Darkness' previous effort "Last Of Our Kind" was a disappointment, seeing them trying just a bit too hard to sound heavy for their own good. Luckily, "Pinewood Smile" saw the reintroduction of the humour that was always their strong point with the foul-mouthed tirades of "Solid Gold" and "Southern Trains" being a cracking listen and making "Pinewood Smile" probably their strongest effort since "Permission To Land".
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