By DJ Monk
Hang on a second, have we not reviewed this already? Indeed, we have… well, sort of… as I shall now explain. Having, not so politely, introduced themselves to us last summer with a brace of singles, The Suicide Notes – the new project from former Black Bullets frontman Billy Tee – proceeded to stick their cowboy boots very firmly in the doorway and wave a bottle of whiskey invitingly in our faces, asking “do you want some more”? Well, we didn’t say no and promptly dived straight into the groove of their debut four-track EP, which coupled those two previously released songs, ‘Smoke It Like A Cigarette’ and ‘Take A Bullet’, with their third single, ‘Momma Sang The Blues’, and a live session, ‘Ragdoll’.
Despite being recorded acoustically, the first volume of ‘Pleasure Of Despair’ was a definitive statement of intent, inhabiting the old school British blues-rock tradition inhabited by ÜR faves such as The Quireboys, The Peckham Cowboys and Dogs D’Amour. It was filled to the brim with cocksure swagger, the songs strutting their way outta the speakers, smooching their way around the room, stealing all booze and cigarettes on their way into the deepest recesses of our aural cortexes, Tee’s voice sounding like he eats rather than smokes his nicotine, simultaneously gargling rusty tacks and washing the whole lot down with liberal amounts of that there moonshine. It was, and remains, a great slice of acoustic rock ‘n’ roll, dragged straight out of the back alleys and into the backstreet bars, and left me as one of many looking forward to hearing more from this bunch of reprobates.
Well, now they have delivered us of more, with a brand spanking new follow-up EP called… erm… ‘Pleasure Of Despair’! Yep, the rascals have only gone and re-recorded the first one… well, sort of… well, half of it anyway… this time plugging in their guitars and turning up the volume to neighbour-bothering levels with new versions of the aforementioned ‘Smoke It…’ and ‘Ragdoll’, coupled with two (I’m guessing) new songs, in form of ‘Black Dog Howlin’ and ‘On The Rocks’. Oh, and just to be completely safe, they’ve appended the word ‘electric’ on to the end of the title, just in case we are in any doubt as to what is going on…
And, yep, you guessed… it’s more of the same – except louder! From the first downstroke of Alex Holmes’ snarling six-string and thwump of Damien Beale’s massively bottom-ended bass sound, this is rock ‘n’ roll party central, with the joint well and truly jumpin’ as all the cool cats groove and jive their way around the (virtual) dancefloor to this infectious collection of earworms and hip-swayers.
‘Smoke It Like A Cigarette’ really does live up to its title with this full-electric treatment: it’s smokin’ hot, from Tee’s brilliantly hoarse vocal through a chorus that not only makes you wanna singalong but clap your hands like a lunatic. ‘On The Rocks’ is a slice of classic blues-led rock ‘n’ roll, sounding like Tyla jammin’ with Billy Gibbons, when the boul Keef slides in the back door and the Mott boys nod approvingly from the side of the stage… And the version of ‘Ragdoll’ presented here is one of pure genius, complete with soul-style female backing vocals, off-key sax and a stunning old-school guitar solo section from Holmes.
The Suicide Notes prove, once again, that rock ‘n’ roll won’t be writing any of those particular missives any time soon, at least as long it is in the hands of those who love it and know to caress and nurture it… and, of course, feed it plenty of cigarettes and alcohol… Now, Mr Tee… about that 20 deck and crate of JD that mysteriously disappeared from ÜRHQ the last time you were ‘round here…
- ‘Pleasures Of Despair’ is released out now. You can get your copy, and loads of other The Suicide Notes goodies, HERE.
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