Rating: 8/10
Label: MetricaCorn 2011
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom
"Perils A Plenty" literally reeks of Rock Pop and Punk of the eighties. Dude, it's the attitude of U.K. working class heroes such as Elvis Costello, The Clash, The Madness, vs. the more sophisticated Tom Waits and Steve Miller Band. Indeed, Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers are on the very brink of success with their new monster of an album recorded in their own studio with the help of legendary producer and mix engineer Tony Platt (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Bob Marley, etc, etc). The UK band deserve the praise as this could just as easily have been a multi-million selling record under the correct circumstances and era?
The band are Tom Mansi (vocals/bass), Paul White (guitar), Alain Man (keyboards), James Johnston (drums) and they all have extensive background working as session musicians in the UK. Mansi's done studio sessions for artists so diverse as Sugababes and Goldcut and joined Scottish folk legend Donavan and surreal filmmaker David Lynch on a US tour which combined music with lectures on meditation and world peace? Ehem, very hippie.
From the opening stomping rock of "What Life Brings" to the closing "Gino", you're in for a rollercoaster ride. The styles and genres are plenty and diverse and you can't help to wonder if it's too vivid at times? Don't get me wrong, I like this a lot, it's just that one minute you have low key music (inspired by Tom Waits no doubt) and the other it's fun, uptempo rockers with plenty a twang. "You Got Yourself" is the very definition of a classy (plain) rock tune and "Man Made Man" is just so unbelievable catchy and fun. Others such as the title track bare resemblance to goofy ska typed rock 'ala Talking Head and The Madness. In fact, this CD is like a kick up the arse of the Iron Lady and the whole U.K. era of early/mid eighties. Highly Recommended.
Website
MySpace site
No comments:
Post a Comment