Rose Tattoo: Outlaws

Named Rock n’ Roll Outlaws in some parts of the world, Rose Tattoo’s debut album was a 1978 self-titled affair elsewhere. Back then the Aussie lads were the epitome of aggressive barroom boogie that would punch you in the ribs as soon as look at you and in truth the band members themselves were no less uncompromising. These days it’s only singer Angry Anderson that’s left from that bunch of brawlers, most of his comrades from those early years, sadly, no longer with us. Hence it’s a relatively new five-piece that’s come together to rework the ten tracks that first introduced this band, while also adding a further three songs from the time that never got beyond demo stage. Ex-AC/DC bassist Mark Evans and Jimmy Barnes’ drumming son Jackie fire up the rhythm section as “One Of The Boys� opens proceedings on an album where the songs may all be from the past but the running order is new.

Always a potent song this version proves no different and while Angry may not have quite the same breathless gusto he once did, his voice is razor wire sharp as the guitar duo of Dai Pritchard and Bob Spencer pull the rip chord on a riff driven monster. Not everything proves quite so convincing, with the passing of time squeezing some of the danger out of the gangland tale of “The Butcher And Fast Eddy�, while “Bad Boy For Love� becomes much more standard blues fare in this guise. With “Tramp� and “TV� snarling and snapping with intent, the mis-fires are few and far between but one does cough up in the shape of ‘new’ cut, "Sweet Love (Rock N’ Roll)�, although thankfully both of the other ex-demos - the almost ballad like “Rosetta� and pulsating “Snow Queen� - fare much better, even if they are nowhere near as good as the vintage versions available elsewhere.

Nothing on Outlaws is going to replace the original tracks we’ve known, loved and cowered in fear of. However, as a companion piece comparing then and now, there’s no denying that some of these reworked and in places extended new versions do prove surprisingly exciting.

Track Listing
1. One Of The Boys
2. Sweet Love (Rock N’ Roll)
3. Tramp
4. Snow Queen
5. Rock N’ Roll Outlaw
6. The Butcher And Fast Eddy
7. Remedy
8. TV
9. Stuck On You
10. Astra Wally
11. Bad Boy For Love
12. Nice Boys
13. Rosetta (Bonus Track)

Added: May 25th 2020
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Outlaws @ Cleopatra Records
Hits: 1139
Language: english

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