Album Review: Steve Vincent - "Recovered From My Past"

 

Best known as the frontman of Brit sleaze perennials Paradise Alley, this is the first solo album from Steve Vincent. I have to be honest, Steve's day job band are one of those who I've heard of but don't recall hearing anything by but the general signs here appeared to be promising with a guest list including the Wildhearts' Danny McCormack, ex-Dolls and current Mike Monroe guitarist Steve Conte and McCormack's old Main Grains bandmate (along with several others) Ben Marsden.

The first thing to be aware of here though is that if you're expecting a Soho sleaze by numbers affair then you might just be in for a bit of a surprise. If anything, Recovered From My Past sails closer to the shores of power pop or the vintage strain of '80s Brit-glam (the Babysitters, Soho Roses, Torme, Marionette etc) with a healthy dash of early Hanoi Rocks in there as well. Certainly the harmonica honking likes of Yesterday's Man, Last Train To Babylon and Can't Bring Me Down have that intoxicating mix of glam swagger, Buzzcocks indebted singalongability and endearingly rough-edged punk production while Vincent and his band sound tight and focused throughout to keep Recovered From My Past rolling along nicely through its 35-odd minutes. By the time it closes with the singalong Sleepwalking and the mournful acoustics of Lost Boys & Fallen Angels, you should be well on the way to being converted.

Oh sure, it isn't anything you won't have heard before but at least Vincent has taken a well-worn formula and executed it in fine style here. If you remember those happy days when the Soho strand of glam rock had its own separate identity before the post-millennial variant where everyone was trying too hard to be Motley Crue came along then Recovered From My Past should evoke some happy memories for you. Or indeed for anyone who likes their scuzz-rock with a sweet centre to it.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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