PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Down ‘n’ Outz, the side project of Def Leppard‘s frontman Joe Elliott was founded back in 2009. Heavily influenced by Mott The Hoople the band also features a somewhat stellar cast with members of The Quireboys, Wayward Sons & Vixen. You can find out the history behind the project from the man himself here. Although This Is How We Roll is their third album following My ReGeneration, which was released in 2010, and the 2014 release, The Further Adventures Of… this is their first album to consist of original tracks (all bar one!) and was released on 11th October 2019 via UMC.
The album opens with Another Man’s War and gets of to a flying start, literally, like a Bat Out of Hell (Meatloaf) flying away from the jaws of Elton John‘s Crocodile Rock! Taking some B Bumble and the Stingers‘ Nut Rocker(s) along for the ride, as they hurtle along a powerful roller coaster ride until it’s ‘Game over’. Those are the last words of this song but it’s definitely not game over for the album. It’s only just got started as we head into the title track This Is How We Roll with it’s Biters vibe, I’m thinking Low Lives in Hi Definition.
Goodnight Mr. Jones is a tribute to David Robert Jones who, I’m sure you will all know, as the legend that is David Bowie. The lyrics are simply beautiful and you’ll pick up references to Bowie’s music including ‘Blackstar’ ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and his alter ego (Ziggy) ‘Stardust’ all accompanied by a powerful melody with an essence of Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Creatures with a nod to the psychedelic had me thinking Scissor Sisters meets The Claypool Lennon Delirium maybe those Little Fishes are Comfortably Numb!
Then we come to Last Man Standing a song with some fabulous harmonies think ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). Then roll up, roll up as the circus comes to town with Music Box a minute long musical extravaganza, which could easily be used as the new theme tune if the Tales of the Unexpected TV Series were to be remade!
Boys Don’t Cry had an air of LA Guns‘ Never Enough. Walking to Babylon a gentle harmonious song, before we come to Let It Shine and whether it was the lyrical content and the word shine, rather than the music, I can’t be sure, but it had me thinking of Take That’s Shine.
Back to those Tales of The Unexpected for a more sorrowful Music Box Reprise/Griff’s Lament although, so far, there’s no reason to lament this album and we come to the only cover on the album White Punks on Dope which is, of course, a cover of The Tubes and the Down ‘n’ Outz version remains true to the original, a rousing song. Whether or not Joe Elliott will take this to the stage and wear Fee Waybill style platforms and silver lamé remains to be seen!
The album ends with The Destruction of Hideous Objects Part 3 and if you’ve listened properly you will have picked up the whistling in Creatures and realise that this is a, shortened, musical version of that track. The digital version (which I got for review purposes) ends with a bonus track, which is a stripped down version of Goodnight Mr. Jones and is also goodbye to this album as it’s the last track.
The highlight track for me was, without doubt, White Punks on Dope. Of their own tracks I love the opener Another Man’s War and, the tribute to David Bowie, Goodnight Mr. Jones is a beautiful song. It’s a good, solid album with some great tracks.
Track List:
CD
Another Man’s War
This Is How We Roll
Goodnight Mr. Jones
Creatures
Last Man Standing
Music Box
Boys Don’t Cry
Walking to Babylon
Let It Shine
Music Box Reprise/Griff’s Lament
White Punks on Dope
The Destruction of Hideous Objects Part 3
LP / Picture Disc
Side One
Another Man’s War
This Is How We Roll
Goodnight Mr. Jones
Creatures
Last Man Standing
Side Two
Music Box
Boys Don’t Cry
Walking to Babylon
Let It Shine
Music Box Reprise/Griff’s Lament
White Punks on Dope
The Destruction of Hideous Objects Part 3
Band Members:
Joe Elliott (Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards)
Paul Guerin (Guitar)
Guy Griffin (Guitar)
Keith Weir (keyboards)
Phil Martini (drums)
Share Ross (Bass)
Links
Official site: http://www.downnoutz.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DownNOutz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DownNOutz
YouTube: http://bit.ly/1hVFjM
- £11.99
