PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
I bought the first four studio albums from Sydney, Australia based Rose Tattoo back in the early 80’s but I’m not sure how this blistering album Blood Brothers slipped past my radar in 2007 so thankfully it has been given another airing with an added bonus of six live tracks played from it. Front man Angry Anderson, approaching his seventy first birthday in August shows there is plenty of life in the rock and rolll outlaw as they head off for a headlining European tour in June.
Right from the off they take no prisoners as the main riff of ‘Black Eyed Bruiser’ will have you headbanging as Angrys trademark snarling vocal cuts through the air like a knife. ‘Slipping Away’ is a foot to the floor monster that races along in the vein of ‘Astra Wally’. ‘Once In A Lifetime’ was written by Angry in memory of Pete Wells, Rose Tattoo guitarist who sadly passed away in 2006. It’s not a ballad but a full on belter with poignant lyrics like the beautiful “But I’ve seen the glory in an outlaw’s story. We’ve seen the wonder, we’ve felt the thunder and the lightning. Told us, this day it’s time to go”.
‘1854’ is a fist clenching pounder with a massive chorus as ‘City Blues’ lives up to it’s title as it ebbs and flows over a passionate, chest beating lead vocal. A grinding groove provides the perfect backing for the risque lyrics of ‘Sweet Meat’ and another strong walk it like you talk it lyric during ‘Man About Town’ contains the couplet of “I’m a king without a crown, I won’t sit down. You can’t pull me down, I’m the man in this town”. Sleazy rhythms add the menace to ‘Creeper’ telling the tale of a night time serial killer.
‘Standover Man’ is another bruising hard hitter as is the raucous rabble rouser ‘Nothing To Lose’ with heart on sleeve lyrics like “I never had a problem with drinking, until I ran out of booze. Never had a problem with thinking, until I started watching the news” and we arrive to the last track far too soon but it’s a stormer as ‘Lubricated’ riffs heads down heavily over more lascivious vocals.
The live tracks of course are a lot more abrasive than their studio counterparts. Pick of the six are ‘Black Eyed Bruiser’ which surely must have knocked the front rows for six and a frantic run through of ‘Nothing To Lose’. The album is currently available released by Golden Robot Records.
Blood Brothers album track listing :-
Black Eyed Bruiser.
Slipping Away.
Once In A Lifetime.
1854.
City Blues.
Sweet Meat.
Man About Town.
Creeper.
Standover Man.
Nothing To Lose.
Lubricated.
Bonus live tracks :-
Man About Town.
Black Eyed Bruiser.
Once In A Lifetime.
Sweet Meat.
Standover Man.
Nothing To Lose.
