A cleaned up car crash between
Hanoi Rocks and The Backyard Babies.
A just about averted head on collision between the LA bands of the mid eighties. A sleazier version of Wigwam. A poppier version of The Poodles.
Million Dollar Beggars are all of the above. A talented, energetic and highly melodic rock band ploughing their own derivative, neon lit furrow.
Don't make the mistake of thinking this is lightweight, throwaway candyfloss.
Back in the seventies, before glam rock ran out of dreams and direction, it was quite capable of stomping out some memorably classic hard rock, swaying on stack heels and glitzy notions. MDB pick up where it left off.
They put a contemporary spin on the music of that era. Each and every song has an appealing, self assured swagger. The album mixes breezily irresistible, feelgood songs and raucous, tuneful rifferama with edgy, tongue in cheek machismo to wonderful effect.
'(I Forgot To) Die At 27', '
Stories' and the title track all show off Micko (not his real name) Hell's alternating growling vocals / throaty rasp, cleverly counterpointing the music's pop flavouring. They also showcase the band and production team's well crafted songs, strong melodies and grasp of the finer points of the genre as well as the essentials.
'Breaking The Rules' is a startlingly substantial glamrock track, light on its feet and totally flab free, with a melody to die for. A prime candidate for killer cut.
You'll be rushing around looking for a stack of Bibles on which to swear '
Good/Bad' is
Alice Cooper performing the best song Desmond Child never wrote.
It's the last third of the album before any of the Gothic tendencies we associate with Finnish rock become apparent, with '
No One Will Love You In The End' and '
Understand' sounding distinctly like fellow countrymen
Lovex or Reflexion.
Doesn't make them bad people of course. And in fact demonstrates another facet to a fascinating new arrival on the European melodic rock scene.
Here's yet another band whose star you expect to rise and rise.
Written by
Brian Monday, May 25, 2009
Show all reviews by BrianRatingsBrian: 7.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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