By DJ Monk
When a frontman, and especially one with the international profile of someone like Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, launches a side project – and especially one which could, if somewhat cynically, be described as nothing more than a glorified covers band – then it is perhaps understandable that there would be a certain amount of scepticism, not least in relation to his motives for doing so. But, it has to be admitted, that Elliott’s reasons seem decent and honourable.
Regular readers should be familiar with the project’s heritage, but, for those who aren’t, forgive if I indulge in a quick history lesson. The Down ‘n’ Outz trace their roots back a decade, when the Sheffield-born singer teamed up with some old buddies and jamming partners, in the form of drummer Phil Martini and three members of ÜR’s fave rock ‘n’ roll reprobates, The Quireboys – Paul Guerin, Guy Griffin and Keith Weir – to what was supposed to be a one-off show supporting Mott The Hoople at the Hammersmith Apollo. However, the gang had so much fun that they almost immediately headed into the studio to lay down an album of Elliott’s favourite Mott tunes: the result emerged in June 2010 under the title of ‘My ReGeneration Vol 1’. The title immediately suggested that Elliott and co had a longer term vision for the group, which was emphasized when it was announced that, after another collection of Mott/Hunter tributes, their third album would consist of original songs – and this was even before they had recorded, never mind released, their second offering, which eventually emerged in 2014 as ‘The Further Adventures Of…’
Which brings us smack up to date and ‘This Is How We Roll’: with the band now completed by the permanent recruitment of Vixen Share Ross on bass, it is, as promised, an album that has been five years making and consisting completely of original tunes – well, with the exception of a cover of The Tubes’ ‘White Punks On Dope’.
While seeing the band now striving to carve their own identity, ‘This Is How…’ will immediately strike a chord of familiarity with fans of the project’s first two full-lengthers, as it is still very firmly rooted in Elliott’s beloved classic rock of the Seventies, as opener ‘Another Man’s War’ swaggers out of the speakers like Elton John strolling down that Yellow Brick Road – although there are also heavy references to Def Leppard, especially in the chorus, bridge sections and guitar solo. The connection with the Lepps continues with the anthemic lead single, and title track, which has the sort of singalong chorus in which Elliott has specialized so successfully for so much of his career.
Despite the band’s own assertions that ‘This Is How We Roll’ doesn’t sound like the first two D’n’Z albums, the shadow of Ian Hunter et al still looms large over its shoulder, as emphasized by the louche power ballad ‘Goodnight Mr Jones’, which you can just imagine the tousle-haired Mott frontman belting out with a cheeky grin on his gob, while ‘Creatures’ pays an affectionate and reverential nod to the likes of The Faces, Slade, T Rex and their ilk. There are some (very) interesting moments along the way. ‘Last Man Standing’, for example, has almost Moody Blues-meets-10CC vibe to it, while ‘Music Box’ is a diversionary little curio that brings the first half of the album to a close; ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ is another Leppard-esque fist-puncher, with another massively anthemic chorus, while the epic ‘Walking To Babylon’ strays into ‘November Rain’ territory with its sweeping orchestral backdrop.
Next to Elliott’s (perhaps surprisingly to many critics) extremely rich vocal deliveries, the other highlight performance on ‘This Is How…’ is that of Keith Weir, who brings the whole spirit of the album to life, especially with a succession of evocative piano lines on the likes of the aforementioned ‘Goodnight Mr Jones’ and ‘Walking To Babylon’, as well the poignant ‘Let It Shine’, which personally speaking would have rounded off the album extremely nicely indeed had it been the last “proper” track.
And that’s a proposal that brings us to that cover version. Well… it’s neatly, and nicely, done, but personally I don’t really see its point, as the rest of the songs (along with the various prefaces, interludes and reprises) are more than strong enough to stand on their own two feet, and ‘White Punks…’ both serves as an unnecessary distraction and outstays its welcome.
This latter foible apart, ‘This Is How We Roll’ may well see the Down ‘n’ Outz finally casting off the tag of a mere “covers” or “tribute” act, a vanity project by an internationally-acclaimed singer and a bunch of his mates, and establishing their own identity within the framework of the current NWOCR revivalist movement. It may also be criticized as the sort of album which half of the band’s members have been making for three decades, albeit with a different singer, and therefore brings nothing new to the table. But, taking ‘This Is How We Roll’ at face value, it is an affectionate and respectful homage to the “golden age” of British rock ‘n’ roll, nothing more and nothing less, produced by a group of musicians who are masters of their craft, in terms of both song smithery and musicianship, and comfortable in the skin of what they have produced. If this had been released over the summer, it would have been the perfect soundtrack to a Sunday afternoon barbecue: as it is, it definitely helps to blow away the autumnal chills.
‘This Is How We Roll’ is released today (Friday 11 October). You can get your copy HERE.
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.