For a band rooted within the northeastern US, The Northern Line adopt a very British sound on parts of their debut EP. The crashy opening of ‘Lightning Strikes’ makes no secret of a love of The Who, and occasionally the number slips into a riff or two that’s reminiscent of early Dodgy. It isn’t a straight up homage to old mod or mod adjacent Britpop sounds, though: the swirling organs and crashing beats that run through the centre of this energised number carry more than a faint echo of old Northern Soul bangers, and a reverbed vocal leans a little more into a garage rock sound. If you’re going to borrow, it might as well be from good stock, of course, and what The Northern Line manage with their spoils here has a genuine spark throughout. With a slight echo applied, the lead vocal takes on a retro sound that is genuinely great, but is soon outshone by a world of lead guitar courtesy of Pete Kitchener, a man clearly able to redress a couple of Dave Davies inspired runs with the power of 90s Britpop to give the track an extra feeling of gusto. It’s all very familiar to say the least, but what this menagerie of sound represents feels far greater than the actual outcome. This is the sound of a band with a lot of energy and a band who are able to recycle bits of the past in a way that feels genuinely exciting.
Listen: Joan As Police Woman shares striking new version of ‘Feed The Light’
According to Joan Wasser – aka Joan As Police Woman – “songs live beyond their creators” and “settle into themselves over time”. With this in mind, the whole of 2007’s ‘Real Life’ album has been not just re-recorded, but re-imagined.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #167
This trip to the Singles Bar promises a proper mixed bag. We’ve got indie rock, pop punk from one of Cornwall’s finest exports, some well crafted electronica with ambient undercurrents, a hugely radio friendly track from Northern Ireland, and even a guest spot from a genuine legend. And that’s just for starters! As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
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Watch: Sick of It All live in 2014 & 2018 (full shows, pro shot)
Sick of It All were one of America’s most celebrated and beloved hardcore bands. Their recorded legacy is remarkably consistent in terms of quality, and their later albums present a more accessible brand of hardcore than many of their contemporaries. While nineties albums ‘Scratch The Surface’ and ‘Built To Last’ gained most of the music industry’s praise, lesser known recordings such as 2014’s ‘Last Act of Defiance’ present an equally powerful band, now of veteran status, but not resting on their musical laurels.
UB40 – Rat In The Kitchen
In 1983, ‘Labour of Love’ scored UB40 their first number one album. While some of the band’s earliest supporters have poured scorn on the release and derided it for being lightweight, the well-chosen selection of covers earned the band an even bigger fan base. A further shift towards a smart blend of pop and reggae, along with the increased used of drum machines, gave UB40 another hit album with ‘Geffery Morgan’[sic] the following year, with its best known single ‘If It Happens Again’ scoring the band a top ten hit.