Thundermother – ‘Road Fever’

Swedish-based Thundermother – they draw their members from Ireland and Italy as well as Scandinavia – draw on a heritage of all-female rock ‘n’ roll bands that traces its lineage back to The Runaways, through Girlschool, L7 and Rock Goddess to likes of their modern-day counterparts The Amorettes.  They are girls – in this case five of them – who are prepared to take on the big boys and are determined to beat them.

And, like the other acts mentioned above, Thundermother by and large succeed, as they collectively possess a set of cahonies bigger than many of their male competitors, as they prove once again on this, their second album – the follow up to last year’s hugely impressive ‘Rock N’ Roll Disaster’ debut, which stormed to number two on the Swedish national charts in the week of its release!

The first thing that strikes you about ‘Road Fever’ is its organic rawness – a factor that can be attributed to the fact that it was recorded completely in analogue and almost totally live.  And this latter approach also gives the album an energy and vibrancy which harkens back to the old school approach of plug it in, crank it up and play from your heart and soul, without over-thinking – or, more importantly, over-producing – things.

Right from the opening power chord of first single ‘It’s Just A Tease’, the songs are insanely infectious, guaranteed to get your feet tapping and quickly singing along.  The rhythm section of Linda Ström, Tilda Stenqvist and Giorgia Carteri are tighter than a nun’s crack, while Filippa Nässil grinds out a series of classic rock ‘n’ riffs which have no airs or graces about them but concentrate on cranking the good time vibe up to the max.  Irish vocalist Clare Cunningham possesses the natural rawness and energy of Kim McAuliffe, Joan Jett and Jody Turner, and certainly gives many of the male singers operating in the “retro” genre a serious run for their money – and beating more than a few of them to a bloodied pulp.

‘Road Fever’ isn’t a fancy or clever album.  It’s not supposed to be.  What it is is a damn good slice of classic, no nonsense, heads-down-see-you-up-the-front, play it loud rock ‘n’ muthafuckin’ roll.

Tracklist:

It’s Just A Tease / FFWF / Alright Alright / Deal With The Devil / Give Me Some Lights / Roadkill / Enemy / Vagabond / Thunder Machine / Rock N Roll Sisterhood

Recommended listening:

It’s Just A Tease

‘Road Fever’ is released by Despotz Records on September 4.