Introducing the veteran sounds of second-generation South Yorkshire Supergroup NEW MESSIAH
Taking a huge singalong melody all the way to the brink of a kind of sheer sod’s law beauty, the lead track leads literally by example. True to the highest of principles, it’s a track created through an absolute and unswerving belief in the straight-up spirit of rock n’ roll at the height of it’s powers.
“Is my face no longer in?” is the real question posed by ‘(How Come?) Nobody Wants Me (‘til I’m taken)’ - one that’s filled with saxophonic resonance and funk flute brilliance as well as the timeless classic guitar sounds that these South Yorkshire afficionados recreate with such effortless panache.
Similarly strong, ‘The Kids Are With You’ is delivered with straight-up staccato force during what fast develops into a wah-pedal-enhanced swipe at the establishment without ever staying from the essential generic ingredients of rock n’ roll at its absolute finest.
Warm familiarity never gives way to formulaic imitation; the beauty and brilliance of these four tracks comes from the groups astute identification of what elements make rock ‘n roll such a potent medium for expressing all kinds of dissatisfaction. They duly carry on the tradition with originality and style, even when dealing directly with wistful childhood nostalgia, such as the shuffling, scorching, sadder-day Saturdays recalled during the déjà vu of ‘Long Way Home’.
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It’s a dedication to every kid whose mam insisted that they carry their coats to the pictures in order to ‘feel the benefit of it later’
Thin Lizzy-reminiscent heartbreaker ‘Lost Weekend’ shifts gear like a racing pulse to induce joyfully dizzy spells in waves, completing a quartet of tunes that combine strength, quality, and irresistible appeal with a freshness that’s wonderfully at odds with such a classic approach.
As guitar sounds to die for match the all-time greats step for step to take you back, over and again, you may be transported back to a vague period in time, but as far as specific artists go, the influences are thousandfold.
If the results are strangely familiar they’re also highly original and undoubtedly magnetic.
And with an album near to completion with Sheffield producer Alan Smyth at the controls (Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Reverend and the makers, Richard Hawley et al), the future looks bright indeed for this Barnsley quartet.
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