313) Reverend and the Makers - A French Kiss In the Chaos

I used to listen to Reverend and the Makers John McClure when he was on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable and earlier this year I liked he was pushing for The Lottery Winners new album Koko to get to number one as he appeared on a track and he would then be on a number one album.  I quite like The Lottery Winners and liked the song, You Again, but on receiving this request I realised that apart from You Again the only other song I had ever heard involving him was Heavyweight Champion of the League, which I enjoyed at the time.  Time to listen to Mr McClure’s band.

Silence Is Talking is a heavy opening with a throbbing guitar for a minute before the drums and McClure come in, no surprise it was the opening single as its catchy as hell and has an eastern feel in places (the internet informs me it is very like War’s Low Rider, I have just listened it’s a direct lift, surely royalties must have been paid) Hidden Persuaders is much less hitting you in the face, McClure’s voice suits the laid back nature of the track 

No Soap (In a Dirty Water) builds and builds and with a backing choir at the end is excellent and the album ends strongly with three songs, Mermaids has an excellent chorus, The End never lets up from start to finish and Hard Time for Dreamers is the big ballad to end the album.

The album has a few clunkers that never got going for me, Professor Pickles and Manifesto I could have done without but overall, this is a record that won’t change your life but is certainly an enjoyable listen.

6.50/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Silence Is Talking