This is a great album, and you should go and buy it.
Off you go.
Danny and his boys are British but play American-style blues rock, in a life affirming, happy, cheerful way.
They’re somewhere, musically and in spirit, between Bruce Springsteen (anthemic), Tom Petty (chilled), Dexy’s Midnight Runners (for the brass and Celtic soul) and The Commitments (because it all sounds fun).
They also channel Marty McFly in Back To The Future, when he’s hitting a chord looking happy and everyone is dancing in the Under The Sea ball.
The songs are joyful, mixing the fun-loving sound of the Blues Brothers with the pomp and splendour of Springsteen, ending up with a sound that’s authentic and, well, happy, with-out — and this is probably the best trick — sounding cheesy or derivative. It will make for great festival music. Danny is Danny Wilson, and he has a nice bluesy voice that holds the songs to-gether but doesn’t dominate.
Opener Clear Water is an instant classic, with perky riff, nice country gee-tar twanging and a tidy lead break in the middle. Also good is the Van Morrison-like This Is Not A Love Song and the blues pop of Can I Change My Mind, with its ridiculously catchy guitar refrain.
We remember reviewing something by this outfit a few years back and the sleeve notes imply they make their living as a touring band, playing shows all over the world — there’s a bit of the Irish showband about them, too. Hopefully this album will sell enough to give them some revenue from physical sales.