Customer Reviews
A Funky Rocky Pleasure - By: Hagrids Umbrella, 07 Jan 2008 
I've wanted this since seeing their barnstorming rendition of "Standing in the Way of Control" (SITWOC) on the tele from Glastonbury 2007 & while the album didn't quite get to that level (how could it) it was a joy to listen to.
They've a clean raw sound (not over produced) I reallly liked. The bass line is dominant through the record & often gives it a funky, pop & fun undertone that makes it a bit different. Drums & guitar give the song some rock oomph and, while voice quality is not always important for me (i.e. The Smiths & The Wedding Present), what a voice Beth Ditto has to give the songs an extra slice of quality & big dollop of passion.
If you mix up a fair bit of The White Stripes & their overalll sound production, the funkiness of The Scissor Sisters, a dash of Electric Six & Aretha Franklin in a tetchy mood you could well end up with something like this record. (That's meant to be a good thing.)
SITWOC is the stand out track on the record & most of the songs are in this funky rock style & you hear elements of this key song in a few of the others but you'll get that with any band. "Eyes Open" heads over to glam rock territory. "Coal to Diamonds" & "Dark Lines" are the slow, even more minimalist, songs of which the former I liked least but even that's grown on me a lot.
The bonus remixed tracks of "Listen Up" & SITWOC are good fun with the former being a more soulful disco rendition & the later heading towards high energy disco but reallly I'd have prefer live versions of the songs. Recordings from Glastonbury would have been heaven & definitely stopped me umming & ahhing about 4 or 5 stars.
