From Here On It's A Riot - Action Spectacular > Reviews > Spectacular Action

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Roxy Music meets Noel Coward !
Disadvantages:	Their label went bust, may be hard to get hold of

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

A quirky band that had little luck when the label they were signed to went out of business. This is a superb first album, a mix of influences though Roxy Music are clearly at the top. Franz Ferdinand etc owe these guys a great debt, even if they don't realise it.

1. Roxy Music
A song about what it was like growing up and listening to Roxy Music! And it sounds like Roxy Music, a good thing surely.

2. General Lee
A song about the Dukes of Hazzard's car. Another Roxy Music type urbane track.

3. Music In The Sun
And then it goes all Happy Mondays, a summer track that should have been a single.

4. Streetfighter 2
Back to the early eighties again, both in subject matter and style.

5. Half Empty Bottle
Piano, Brian Ferry doing a Noel Coward impression, then it gets angrier.

6. Stand Up
More noise, more pace, the anger continues on this track, hitting out at the music world and the world in general.

7. Drew Barrymore
A lovely song about ET! Best lyrics ever? - "She promised me they'd make ET 2". Wit, great melody, lyrics that make you wish you were eight again in the queue outside the cinema.

8. Every Second Counts
Roxy Music again, great pop song.

9. Hey Duffy
Sort of a laid back Happy Mondays track if such a thing existed. A song about looking back and wondering what happened to the young person you once were.

10. Transformers
Final track sort of ties up what the whole album is about. We grow older, learn new things, but part of our younger self always survives somewhere within us, and sometimes it's nice to let that back out again and look at the world with that mixture of wide-eyed innocence and fun-seeking selfishness.

I think if you like Roxy Music or Franz Ferdinand there is a fair chance you will like this album, they are sort of the midpoint between the two bands.