Album Review: Various Artists - “A Hatful of Holloway”

 

Compiled by former Gunfire Dance and Waldos guitarist and current Men That Will Be Blamed For Nothing drummer Jez Miller, Hatful of Holloway is a compilation of covers to raise funds for renowned rockers' drinking joint the Lamb pub in Holloway. With an impressive cast list, for a worthwhile cause, it's certainly something bearing investigation with a good mix of straight up fired up rock and some more out there moments as well.

Among the highlights are Flesh Tetris turning in an agreeably crunchy version of Rammstein's Du Hast and Paul-Ronney Angel and Tomirae Brown's seasick Oh Pandemic which is as darkly ominous as you'd expect. Gunfire Dance's fired up cover of the Kinks' Till The End Of The Day reminds you what a sadly under-rated band they were and The Men That Will Not Be Blamed... also do a quality raid on Ray Davies' back catalogue with their cover of Victoria (a live favourite from their gigs).

Elsewhere, Miller turns in a competent cover of Johnny Thunders' timeless You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory and Dave Renegade's acoustic version of Ramblin' Man adds some much needed breathing space. Desperate Measures meanwhile take things back to basics in fine garage punk style with their cover of Don't Gimme No Lip Child and Mechanical Cabaret turn in an energetic version of Sparks' When Do I Get To Sing My Way? 

On the more unusual side, the Celtic Smash Brothers turn in an enjoyable enough folk-rock take on the Clash's London Calling and Pollypikpocketz give Patrik Fitzgerald's Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart a downright odd electro makeover. Jay Price's spooked out almost mariachi-goth take on Jolene works way better than it has any right to and Mz Moxy's festively-retitled take on the old Duran Duran classic Hungry Like The Elf is good fun.

Ben Wood and the Bad Ideas turn in an enjoyable Ian Dury style funked up version of X-Ray Spex's Obsessed With You and Top Buzzer's punk version of Britney's Toxic is certainly an intriguing oddity and Grae J Wall (of the Trailer Trash Orchesta)'s acoustic cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power Of Love is a suitably sparse and sinister album closer.

Overall, this is a good compilation for a good cause and even the less stellar tracks are still well worth a listen. And it's all for a good cause as well so get on the link below pronto and get yourself a copy.

Album link here (but please note that the organisers would prefer you to buy the album outright rather than stream on Spotify as all funds generated will go towards keeping the Lamb open)

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)