By Jim Rowland
Back in 2017, when ÜK street punk legends Cock Sparrer released their outstanding ‘Forever’ album, many, band included, expected it to be their last. Up to that point it was regarded by many as their finest album too. So their world-wide legion of fans were delighted earlier this year to hear the band would be releasing one more album, their eighth (and final?) studio offering ‘Hand On Heart’. This one really is likely to be the last, and if so, Cock Sparrer are going out on an almighty high…
The band are the first to admit that the studio budget in the past has usually been spent down the pub, but with ‘Hand On Heart’ they acquired the production services of James Bragg (BC Camplight, Martin Barre) who worked alongside guitarist Daryl Smith. Also on board was Grammy Award-winning, 2022 ÜK ‘Mastering Engineer Of The Year’, Kevin Tuffy to do the final mastering. The results speak for themselves.
Cock Sparrer have always written great songs – that’s an undisputed fact. The ten songs that make up this album are proof that right now, they’ve got their song writing craft down to an even finer art – you’ve got ten absolute belters here, all killer, no filler. Quite how they manage to come up with songs this good I have no idea, but I’m sure glad they do.
The likes of ‘With My Hand On My Heart’, ‘Take It On The Chin’, ‘Nowhere To Be Found’ and ‘One Way Ticket’ are all big, bold, hook-laden, ultra-catchy singalong classic Sparrer tunes, with the hard and heavy ‘Mind Your Own Business’, ‘No Way Out’ and ‘Here We Stand’ adding the trademark mob choruses into the mix. Perhaps the album’s biggest surprise is ‘My Forgotten Dream’, which still packs a powerful punch but has added strings (yes, really) to fine effect thanks to string arranger Simon Dobson who has worked with acts as diverse as Bring Me The Horizon and Mike Oldfield.
The reason Cock Sparrer have endured for more than 50 years now is quite simple – the combination of great songs that people can connect with and a great sound that hasn’t really needed to be tampered with over time.
If this really is the last album, and all indications are that that is likely, Cock Sparrer are signing off at the peak of their powers.
- ‘Hand On Heart’ is released on Friday 5 April on 180gsm black vinyl, limited edition colour vinyl with unique artwork, picture disc vinyl, hardback book CD edition and strictly limited-edition cassette, as well as download and streaming options.
- Cock Sparrer play the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Saturday 6 April and the O2 Academy, Glasgow, on Saturday 13 April.
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