Dukester's Meltdown
Opening with a slow building but hard hitting intro with vocals already in overdrive, this is a band with their own brand of rock n' roll. Sounding like Velvet Revolver had they got Faith No More's Mike Patton to sing for them instead (which nearly happened in fact, so if you always wondered....), the song takes ages to reach full velocity in its mid pace grind sounding like a comedown from a booze fuelled performance (or a hard driving debut, this CD acting as the morning after to their last CD) before the obligatory but blistering shredding solo matched by the un-obligatory and most welcome organ solo. While VR are trying to sound modern in a vain attempt to push things forward thus losing the glam, 4ft Pimp are unashamedly old school and all the better for it. Like fellow local rockers Gourami, these have non stop guitar music doing the talking between just moments of silent suspense, and are another of the few bands capable of bringing rock n' roll exciting and proud, and with a hint of humour on a welcome rerecording of "Shotgun Paradise", rather than tone down the glitz and the blitz that has ruined rock n' roll since glam (and hair metal) died. One of only several saviours.
Alan Hillsden