Tracklist: “Hangover In Hannover” “There She Goes Again” “You Spark My Heart” “Love Is A Funny Feeling” “Gone Gone Gone” “Swampmotofrog” “First The Money, Then The Honey” “Rich Man, Poor Man” “Knocked Out By Tyson” “One Of The Fallen Angels”
“We like guitar riffs, strong hooks and heavy grooves, performed on analog instruments. I guess you’d call it classic rock.” so says the opening line in the press release for the long awaited new album from Stockholm’s Electric Boys.
I must first of all before I start this review, own up to a few things. First and foremost that I’m a fan of the band and have a copy (OK the three copies then) of their debut Swedish single as well as a few copies (OK maybe seven then) of the original Swedish release of their debut ‘Funk O Metal Carpet Ride’ I also believe that I have every format of every single they released either domestically, in the UK, US and Australia. But hey I’m a collector. I’ve also seen the band about a dozen times, mainly on their forays to the UK either headlining or with Thunder.
But all that seems like rather a long time ago. After their glorious 1988 debut (or 1989 depending on where you were in the world) they released two further albums before taking an elongated break in 1994- ‘Groovus Maximum’ in 1992 and in 1994 ‘Freewheelin.” Neither album, if I’m honest, hit the heights of their debut (one of my favourite releases of the 80’s and therefore pretty high up there on the all time list) but both blew away 90% of the rubbish that Grunge foisted upon us.
Resurfacing in 2009 they put out ‘And Them Boys Done Swang’ in 2011 a great album of which I said at the time:
“This really is an album where you can take your pick! Every track is choice Grade A funked up Rock N Roll, driven by great riffs, kinda like early Aerosmith with bigger bass sound. There’s a heady mix of funk and psychedelic-driven rock in this store and it’s certainly the best since that debut.”
Then there was 2014’s ‘Starflight United’ another great album. The question of course now is how do they sound a further 4 years down the track with ‘The Ghost Ward Diaries’ an album I signed up to the Pledge campaign for with a likely release date slated for November and which I have in my hot little hands now at the start of September.
Opener and first single “Hangover In Hannover” starts with a timeless riff that could have been forged by AC/DC before Bloom’s vocal kicks in – it’s a song that does all that you’d hope the band would do – it’s fierce, it’s fiery, built on a driving melodic life-force, and a huge chorus and searing guitars that set it all alight. It’s pure Electric Boys.
“There She Goes Again” that follows is even more melodic, even more monumental, with a sweet building chorus of Beatles-like proportions and insistent riff that gives you a huge smile before “You Spark My Heart” reaches out.It’s a melodic uplifting demi-ballad , sweet and crisp and invoking a real seventies rock feel that hits the mark.
Now let’s get funky! “Love Is A Funny Feeling” is the first track that lays down what you might think of as that traditional Electric Boys funky beat, and does it with aplomb to really open up the party before “Gone Gone Gone” the first slower number here cuts in. It’s a stylish 70’s style sweet soulful grower of a song that wouldn’t be out of place on a vintage Bad Co album.
The album is split down the middle by “Swampmotofrog” an funky little instrumental stomp that fits beautifully here and heralds the most back-to-basics song on the album: “First The Money, Then The Honey” – a groovy little rock and roller, simple and effective made to get the feet tapping and the blood pumping. That in turn gives way to a glorious closing trifecta heralded first by “Rich Man, Poor Man” one of my favourites here, which comes across with all the attitude of a funky little vintage Aerosmith rocker before “Knocked Out By Tyson” another breezy and funky number with a mild psychedelic bite kicks away the jambs and “One Of The Fallen Angels” closes the album with wailing guitar and a lighter sheen. It’s a great slab of ‘blue sky’ rock awash with melodies and a great riff that in days of yore would have heralded a stadium singing along at the chorus hit.
“Lyric wise it’s a bit darker than before; little diaries from times on the road and the struggle in between.” says Connie, and whilst that comes across at times this is an album that delivers but which also pushes the boundaries just a little more than the other two reformation albums to date. The more I play this the more I love it.
The first radio single and music video from the upcoming album, “Hangover In Hannover”, is due to be released in late September.
ELECTRIC BOYS (featuring all original members) are:
Guitarist/vocalist: Conny Bloom
Bassist: Andy Christell
Guitarist: Franco Santunione
Drummer: Niclas Sigevall
and new drummer: Jolle Atlagic (The Quill/Hanoi Rocks)
*Please Note: Drummers Niclas Sigevall & Jolle Atlagic share recording and touring duties.
The following shows are currently booked and in 2019 will the ELECTRIC BOYS be touring Europe and play festivals.
7/9-18: Z Livescene, Drammen (Norway)
20/10-18: Bully On Rocks, Bully-les-Mines (France)
1/11-18: Logo, Hamburg (Germany)
2/11-18: KB, Malmö (Sweden)
3/11-18 The Tivoli, Helsingborg (Sweden)
23/11-18: Olsen På Bryn, Oslo (Norway)
7/12-18: Katalin, Uppsala (Sweden)
8/12-18: Palatset, Linköping (Sweden)
14/12-18: Sticky Fingers, Göteborg (Sweden)
15/12-18: Saga Salongen, Torshälla (Sweden)
22/12-18: Kägelbanan, Stockholm (Sweden)
ELECTRIC BOYS – “The Ghost Ward Diaries” Out 23rd of November 2018 worldwide through Mighty Music on LP, CD and digital.
