One of my favourite bands over the last ten plus years has been The New Roses and ever since that first full length “Without a Trace’ back in 2013 they’ve consistently lifted the bar each time. I honestly don’t know how The New Roses keep coming back with albums this damned good, but I’m sure glad they do: and this year’s ‘Attracted to Danger’ might just be the best yet!
As usual we start off with a bang – opener ‘When You Fall In Love’ starts with a riff that feels like an old friend, has a great vintage Bryan Adams feel and more hooks than a thousand fishermen at a fish hook convention.
The country flavour creeps in early though this time with ‘Natural Born Vagabonds’ taking the pace off immediately and smokes some real campfire countryfied Americana into the mix. I know they’ve always done it and I know Timmy loves his country but each time you fear they’ve done it again teh sogs just get better and better, and this might just be one of the best yet!
The title track ‘Attracted To Danger’ that follows gets us back to the flavour of the opener. I do notice that this time round there’s a smoother, lusher feel to the songs without the Rock and Roll spikes, there seems to be a deliberate effort to appeal to a broader audience on these opening two and it works, The production of The New Roses and the mixing by Markus Teske sound simply wonderful here. Of course as soon as I mentioned that ‘smoother sound’ the rest of the album proceeds to rip it up and Rock out!
‘Four Wheels’ starts the drive: it’s grittier, more guitar driven with a bluesy bounce, and replete with killer guitar and it seemingly just gets better with ‘Bring The Thunder’ is a smoldering rocker with a huge chorus, before ‘This Heart’ just soars! It’s certain to be an instant favourite! It’s songs like that which make you realise why this band are so damned essential and why the would have been huge at the tail end of the 80’s.
Backing that smoldering run of tunes with the duet ‘Hold Me Up’ featuring Gill Montgomery (of The Damn Hot and The Amorettes) is a masterstroke and the song arrives like the sister song to ‘Natural Born Vagabonds’ with a distinct Country edge and again with the pace off. It may be a well-worn torn and frayed template musically and lyrically but when it’s this well executed who cares! A killer ballad with two voices that really do belong together.
And of course as usual we round things out as strongly as we started: ‘Spirit Of A Rebel’ keeps the country feel but injects more urgency and ends up being a real contender. And whilst you think you might have already heard more versions of Neil Young’s ubiquitous ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ than you’d ever need to hear covers of any song ever (Bon Jovi, Mike Tramp, Pearl Jam, Simple Minds. Hayseed Dixie, Suzi Quatro, Krokus, The Alarm and my personal favourite – Larkin Poe – and I’m not even trying) this version is probably my second favourite. Of course I’d have preferred another original though!
The press release cunningly lists a blank for track ’10.’ but thankfully there’s no blank here ‘Whiskey In The Backseat’ closes things in sublime style! It’s a real rocker with a great hook and a wonderful drive. It’s the perfect closer! It’s the reason why you all need The New Roses in your lives! I honestly have no idae how they can produce album after abum of killer songs, but The New Roses never disappoint!
9/10
THE NEW ROSES “Attracted To Danger UK Tour 2024”
16.10.24 UK – London / The Black Heart
17.10.24 UK – Birmingham / Asylum 2
18.10.24 UK – Norwich / Brickmakers
19.10.24 UK – Newcastle / Zerox
20.10.24 UK – Glasgow/ Garage Attic
21.10.24 UK – Manchester / Factory 251
22.10.24 UK – Huddersfield / The Parish
23.10.24 UK – Crumlin / The Patriot
24.10.24 UK – Frome / The Tree House
25.10.24 UK – Exeter / Cavern
26.10.24 UK – Bournemouth / Bear Cave
THE NEW ROSES “Attracted To Danger Continental European Tour 2024”
31.10.24 NL – Heerlen / Nieuwe Nor
01.11.24 NL – Den Bosch / Willem 2
02.11.24 DE – Osnabrück / Rosenhof
06.11.24 DE – Stuttgart / Im Wizemann
07.11.24 DE – Bochum / Zeche
08.11.24 DE – Hannover / Musikzentrum
09.11.24 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser
14.11.24 DE – Cologne / Kantine
15.11.24 DE – Jena / F-Haus
16.11.24 DE – Nuremberg / Hirsch
21.11.24 CZ – Prague / Club Storm
22.11.24 DE – Berlin / Hole44
23.11.24 DE – Hamburg / Fabrik
28.11.24 AT – Vienna / Scene
29.11.24 AT – Wörgl / Komma
30.11.24 DE – Munich / Backstage Werk
06.12.24 CH – Pratteln / CH Z7
07.12.24 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos Saal
THE NEW ROSES are:
Timmy Rough – Leadvoc, Guitar
Dizzy Daniels – Guitar
Hardy – Bass
Urban Berz – Drums, Backing Vocals
THE NEW ROSES online:
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Napalm Records
