Ever since that day back in 2016, when I jumped into my car and I heard The Struts’ “Kiss This”, that day when I had to wait until the DJ announced which band
was playing before driving away, I have been a fan of The Struts – and I became an even bigger fan as soon as the album in question, Everybody Wants, had taken its first spin in my CD-player. The follow-up, Young & Dangerous (2018), was even better so it’s safe to say that I really love this band. When I saw them live for the first – and only – time at Sweden Rock Festival, they played at noon on a really hot day, they also played the smallest stage at the festival but they acted as they were the headliners – and they totally owned the place. Singer Luke Spiller came across as a mix of David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger and I think he changed stage-clothes three times during their 45-minute set. They were awesome.
There’s nothing deep with this lot. They’re here to entertain and bring some catchy pop-rock-glam tunes to the people. They’re glossy, slick, bubblegum, glammy and so unpretentious a band like Poison looks like a gloomy doom-band in comparison. Love them or not but admit that the world needs a band like this. Throughout 2019 and most of 2020, things have been quiet from the Struts camp so when I saw an ad for this record in a magazine, I was heavily surprised – I had no clue that they had been recording a new record. Of course, I had to get that album. Turns out that this record was written and recorded in ten days during lockdown. My expectations were sky-high when the first spin was about to happen but I had no worries – these guys just can’t go wrong. Or can they?
Well, the opening title-track and leading single was a bit of a shock, actually – and it wasn’t really a pleasure-shock either. First of all, it’s a ballad. Nothing wrong with ballads but a band like The Struts – or any other Rock band for that matter – shouldn’t open an album with a ballad. Talk about losing momentum. Second, it’s not a particularly good one. Featuring a duet with Robbie Williams, it’s a slow, sullen, down-to earth tune with a big mid 90’s vibe, quite similar to the balladry of Williams own material. I’m not a fan of those. It do get slightly bigger as it goes along and I don’t hate it but nothing here sounds anything like The Struts I love. What a disappointment. The album sure could have had a better start.
Thankfully, things pick up already by the second track, the overly upbeat and fat-grooved “All Dressed Up (With Nowhere To Go)” – and this is where the party starts. More Classic Rock laden than usual, The Struts inserts a fat AC/DC riff, a Rolling Stones vibe, a dose of Slade with Spiller letting his inner Freddie Mercury out and then decorates it with the Struts-gloss we know and love with a massive, hooky chorus and a chunky live-feel. I love it. Next up, “Do You Love Me”. Could that be…? Yes, of course it is. A cover of the old Kiss track, all Strutsed up and made their own with a bigger pop-feel and with more Struts glam than Kiss’ Classic Rock original. It grooves, it’s upfront and it suits them oh so well.
Latest single “I Hate How Much I Want You” starts with a phone-call between Spiller and Joe Elliott (“the king of the Leppards”) where Spiller wants to invite Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen because he has this massive chorus that apparently needs some Leppard. Joe says that they will and off they go. And Spiller’s right, the chorus is enormous, insanely catchy. A little Slade here, a little Sweet there and then spice it up with some big T.Rex glam, a Classic Rock groove and more of classic Struts glitter. A pulsating bass-line, swinging drums and crunchy guitars takes this tune for a home-run. This is superb.
On a heavier take, the mid-paced rocker “Wild Child” brings on some gritty guitars – guested by one Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) – a stripped down vibe with an early 70’s Classic Rock twist. It’s punchy, darker laden, distorted and I hear Led Zeppelin, Cream and some old Pink Floyd psychedelia. It’s untidy and rowdy but also catchy and I do like the track. But this is not The Struts to me. Bringing out a obvious love for the Stones, “Cool” is upbeat, highly groovy and crunchy – and it even holds a danceable beat, all 70’s style. It’s pop laden, swinging and it partly throws some classic Struts slickness our way, but guys, where’s the glossy, can’t-get-it-outta-my-head refrain? It’s also a bit too long with an unnecessary jam at the end.
“Burn It Down” takes a bluesy turn towards classic Rock ‘n’ Roll, like a mix of Rolling Stones, The Faces and The Black Crowes, if you will. The song is all about the earlier 70’s and holds a meaty, crispy groove, stripped-down with an infectious groove and the whole she-bang sounds like it was recorded live in the studio – which it was not. Again, it’s a great track – but it’s not what I want from The Struts – the intense catchiness is on vacation here. Back to the classic Struts ways is where the immediately poppy “Another Hit Of Showmanship, featuring Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes fame, takes us. It’s an uptempo, uplifting and straight-forward pop-rocker where hooks equals fun and the melodies both in verse and chorus is massively memorable. The chorus is addictive. This is a hit! Brilliant.
“Can’t Sleep” is U.S. Arena Rock – upbeat, snappy and with lots of creamy pop-glam gloss these guys are known for. Mixing it up with a slight Classic Rock touch of heaviness, Sweet and Slade are what the song holds as a template and on top a majorly catchy and juicy refrain that sticks like super-glue. Very good. Closing track “Am I Talking To The Champagne (Or Talking To You)” might have a typical pop-gloss title but is nothing as such. This is a bluesy, down-beat and stripped Classic Rock slow-song albeit with a chunky bass-line which builds up a groove. It’s very much early 70’s inspired, complete with an added saxophone. Somewhat trippy, it’s moody with a serious outlook and not uplifting or fun-glossy at all. It’s jazz-blues-soul-rock in one, it’s a killer track and I love it but really, this is not the kind of tune I want on a Struts-album.
Ok. So while I might come across as a sour and grumpy old retrograde fart who can’t stand a band moving forward and developing their sounds, I am not. I just hate it when a band throws their brand away. Wanna do something different? Well, make a solo-album or form a new band. I don’t mind anyone jumping out of their comfort zone for a minute but keep your style dammit. This is NOT a bad album at all. I’m just disappointed at the fact that I had looked forward to a new Struts record with all their bubblegum, gloss, pop, an album that makes my smile ten miles wide, that makes me wanna down a beer and get up and dance. Instead we get a serious album where the music often follows the darker lyrics – lots of this album is about Covid 19 and the lockdown – and that’s not what the world needs right now. The world needs the glammy Struts with all their extravaganza right to the top. Of course, it’s impossible to slag this off as most of the songs are really good but it’s easy to state that this is their weakest effort yet. Maybe they should have taken more than 10 days to make it.
6/10
More The Struts reviews:
Tracklist:
1. Strange Days
2. All Dressed Up (With Nowhere To Go)
3. Do You Love Me
4. I Hate How Much I Want You
5. Wild Child
6. Cool
7. Burn It Down
8. Another Hit Of Showmanship
9. Can’t Sleep
10. Am I Talking To The Champagne (Or Talking To You)
CD & Festival reviews 