<sigh> Two opinions in a row with no alcohol content but be comforted, I’m drinking a large glass of Rose D’Anjou as I write!
On to the important stuff – as many of you will know I love THE DAMNED with a passion lasting over 20 years now so this opinion is going to be favourably biased. I also saw them play live again for the thirty-somethingth time just before Christmas and they seemed so tight, together and fresh, especially with this new material on the set-list, it was like seeing them for the first time again.
“Grave Disorder”, released in August 2001, is The Damned’s first new studio album for umpteen years, there have been numerous live and best of compilations in the intervening years but very little fresh material. Before getting hold of this album I was a little dubious – were they flogging a dead horse? Have they strayed too far from their roots? Will they be too poppy? Too obscure? I need not have worried!
The band have changed their line-up more times than I can count since their punk beginnings in 1976 with bassists coming and going a plenty, Captain Sensible leaving and joining again at least twice and, more recently, the departure of their original drummer, Rat Scabies. The line-up for this album consist of Dave Vanian (the only one!) on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Patricia Morrison (also Vanian’s wife) on bass, Pinch (formerly of punk band English Dogs) on drums and Monty Oxy Moron on keyboards.
The tracklisting for this album runs: Democracy Song.com Thrill Kill She Lookin for Action Would You be so Hot (if you weren’t Dead?) Absinthe Amen Neverland Til The End of Time Obscene W Beauty of the Beast
I am not going to analyse every track given that this opinion will become far too long if I do plus the fact that (gulp) this is an unpaid category to write in and I am mercenary!
As soon as the album kicks off with the storming “Democracy” you know The Damned haven’t lost it – heavy musicianship with a stonking good tune, Vanian’s glorious clear vocals urging you to sing along – it’s great stuff. There is very little of this album that I find disappointing – I think maybe the least memorable and immediate tracks are probably “She” and “Absinthe” but they are well redeemed by the rest of this marvellous rocking album!
If you have any doubt of Dave Vanian’s silken and glorious vocal style and capabilities the mournful “Til the End of Time” should put paid to that – shivers up the spine stuff!
On the whole the rocking pace is kept up throughout, as it was live, with just a couple of slower tracks but they are by no means out of place and do not disappoint. The lyrics don’t belong in the past either – they sing about the internet(“Song.com”), organised religion (“Amen”) and Michael Jackson (Neverland) too!
The album ends on a beautiful piano tickling note with “Beauty of the Beast” – again a slower number displaying Vanian’s fantastic voice with light backing, chiefly tinkling piano, as the track charts the history of the band.
I love this album to bits, one of those rare albums that hooks you in on the first play with tunes that pop into your head inadvertently during the day and make you want to pop it in the CD player and crank up the volume!
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