Down 'n' Outz: The Further Adventures Of…

A one off studio effort, a few shows (including some good old R&R fisticuffs!) and a live album. Truth be told, even though Def Leppard's Joe Elliott promised that his Mott The Hoople (and related) tribute act which draws in a host of Quireboys to lend their skills, was an ongoing affair, that's all I really expected from the Down 'n' Outz. But no, with promises (that don't quite materialise, yet) of original songs from this tribe of 70s obsessed rockers, D'n'O are back with more gems from the Hunter, Watts and Ralphs canon and it has to be said that The Further Adventues Of… has achieved that rare thing and pulled off a repeat trick with almost equal clout as first time we heard it.

There's no denying that Elliott always saw himself (in his teenage mirror at least) as an Ian Hunter wanabee and those hours with the hairbrush pressed to his lips were well spent, for as with the debut D'n'O album, this is as well as you'll have heard him sing in years. Less forced passion, more raw honesty, less bombast, more gutsy gusto; it suits him very well indeed. While the gang of QB's, Paul Guerin (guitar and a bit of bass), Guy Griffin (guitars) Keith Weir (piano/organ/synth) and ex-Quirer, drummer Phil Martini, sound far more at home openly reliving Hoople, than they ever have aping the Faces…

Again the selection of tracks avoids the plain obvious MTH numbers, instead hitting the jackpot with less celebrated nuggets such as the glorious "One Of The Boys", gritty "Whizz Kids" or celebratory sounding, but as with much else here, lyrically hard hitting, "Crash Street Kidds". In fact it is testament to the lyrical cleverness of these and the other songs recreated here that the overtly political themes of inequality, ill spread wealth, lack of opportunity and rampant disillusionment are as fitting for the here and now as they were the day they were written. Although it isn't such a testament to four (or so) decades worth of inept politicians…

The Further Adventures Of… does close out with a teaser for studio album number three - the booklet talking of a "self-penned third instalment" - however it is a muted, short piece that barely hints at what the Mott inspired originals may, or may not sound like. Having plundered possibly as far as they realistically can, the future for this act will depend on those results. However for today, let's not worry about what lies ahead and instead enjoy an album that pays tribute to an act who still remain largely underrated, while also adding a new, if still familiar slant to that band's music.

Track Listing
1. Rock And Roll Queen
2. Stiff Upper Lip
3. Marionette
4. One Of The Boys
5. Whizz Kid
6. Violence
7. The Journey
8. Drivin' Sister
9. The Original Mixed-Up Kid
10. Crash Street Kidds
11. Broadside Outcasts
12. The Revenge Of The Shipwrecked Hedgehog
13. Sea Diver (iTunes Bonus Track)
14. One Of The Boys – radio edit (iTunes Bonus Track)

Added: June 4th 2014
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Down 'n' Outz online
Hits: 2052
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]