Album Review: Richard Davies & The Dissidents - "Human Traffic"

 

The name Richard Davies & The Dissidents may not be immediately familiar to a lot of our readers here but trust me, the guy has a pretty impressive pedigree having recently served as guitarist to the living legend that is Peter Perrett and having previously been in Americana types the Snakes and, way way back, with early Britpop never-quite-weres Tiny Monroe. With a band also including various off duty members of Mega City Four and Last Great Dreamers, this album certainly looks like an enticing prospect.

Certainly there's a palpable nod to both Mr Perrett and his American equivalent Johnny Thunders on here with the laconic likes of No Man's Land, Lay Me Low and Heartbeat Smile conjuring up the yearning spirit of the Only Ones or Thunders' So Alone and Que Sera Sera albums. There's echoes of the likes of Darrell Bath (Long Road To Your Heart) and Ryan Hamilton (Echo Road and No Master No Guide) on here as well. Under The Skin even reminds me of the Pogues in their more countrified moments a bit.

Overall, Human Traffic is the sort of album that you suspect would be perfect for packing up your stuff in the car and getting away from it all, driving across the countryside and in that sense it feels a bit like a sister album to Ryan Hamilton's Nowhere To Go But Everywhere. One of those albums that grows on you with every listen, this is well worth checking out.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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