By DJ Monk
Fourth albums are often an opportunity for bands not only to consolidate their existing sound but also to push the boundaries of what they have done before while not straying too far from their established path and alienating the fanbase they have worked so hard to establish. ‘Nothing But Wild’, the latest offering from ÜR’s favourite German party animals, The New Roses, achieves both of these objectives in damn fine – no, make that DAMN FINE – rock ‘n’ roll style.
What is particularly impressive is how effectively the band manage to amalgamate their various influences and integrate inter-related styles into an homogenous whole which flows with natural ease, from the punky opening declarative of ‘Soundtrack Of My Life’ through the hard rockin’ groove of the (highly) appropriately titled ‘Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll’ to the Eighties reminiscence-meets-Scandi rock joyousness of lead single ‘Down By The River’, the sleazeball title track to the heartaching country rock of ‘The Bullet’ – and that’s just the first half of the album! Where such stylistic integrations could sound jarring in any other context, The New Roses blend the album’s many elements with the ease of Paul Hollywood kneading a ball of sourdough.
It is no overstatement to say that there is not one weak song on ‘Nothing But Wild’: each and every one of the 13 main tracks hits you hard, worms their way into your aural cortex and remains there for quite some time after the final notes have faded – which is why this album has remained a firm favourite on the ÜRHQ deathdecks since it slipped through our letterbox, a “go to” album when the mood needs lightened, or the party needs that little bit of kickstart (to the heart). Even the two bonus tracks – acoustic versions of ‘Down By The River’ and ‘Fight You Leaving’ (from 2017’s breakthrough One More For The Road’) stand up in their own right, showcasing the band’s depth and soulfulness.
‘Nothing But Wild’ is rammed from beginning to end with floor-filling anthems, all delivered with aplomb and passion. It is an album which never fails to entertain with each listen, and one which sets a standard that many of their contemporaries will struggle to emulate. All that remains is to crack open that six-pack and crank those speakers up so that they can be heard in the Rheingau \m/
‘Nothing But Wild’ is released on Friday (2 August). You can get your copy HERE.
https://www.facebook.com/TheNewRoses/
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.