Hot on the heels of their excellent recent Out Of
True album, The Nightingales return with a new
6 track CD. Whether that is classed as a mini album or
an EP is probably beside the point in these download times,
but this release (recorded over a mere two days In January)
does feel more like some interim release to maintain momentum
rather than a major release in itself. Or rather, a tasty
side salad to keep you going until the next delicious main
course.
As always with The Nightingales records these days, there's plenty of variety though. Plenty Of Spare opens proceedings and continues where the likes of Born Again In Birmingham from Out Of True left off, with singer Robert Lloyd adopting a low drawl over a Beefheartian riff. Meanwhile, Eleven Fingers has thrashy guitars and frenetic drumming that brings to mind Pigs On Purpose-era Nightingales of olde.
Bang Out Of Order has a more straightforward beat that leads nicely into some guitar wig outs from Britain's youngest looking lead guitarist, Matt Wood. Then, an unlikely cover of Nancy Sinatra's Drummer Man gives Darren Garrett ample opportunity to show off his tub thumping skills by circumnavigating his kit in a manner not heard since The Muppets' demented drummer Animal hung up his sticks.
Overreactor follows, and has an energy about it that may well strike a chord with fans of Lloyd and guitarist Alan Apperley's earlier, punkier incarnation, The Prefects, demonstrating once again that there's life in these old dogs yet. What's Not To Love ends with Wot No Blog which, from its Egyptian style intro to Lloyd's "There's nowt so queer as folk who get the bus" observation that will surely strike a chord with those of us who ever use public transport, is undoubtedly the best track of the lot for me and worth the price of admission alone.
So, whilst What's Not To Love might not be the bands finest release, anyone who has ever loved The Nightingales will surely want to hear this. It's more than time a few more of you did so, too. Twenty five years on and they're still one of Britain's best kept secrets.
Out now…
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