DEVINE ELECTRIC

EXCUSE THE MESS EP

Released 2011

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF THIS EP - READ ON!

Looking like a slab of white vinyl (it even has the grooves) the packaging tells part of the story - this ain't gonna be a Nu-Metal album. And with the black and white images on the cover and the neon and the lightning in the logo the marketing is spot on. The only surprise is that Sydney's Devine Electric were referred to me by a mate from Texas! That's Rock N Roll!

Forming in 2005 Devine Electric has a few miles under the belt, have already had a 'hiatus', packed in a few good supports to bands as diverse as Pretty Boy Floyd and Stryper, and released a debut EP. But that was then...

'Excuse the Mess' is a pretty solid indication of where the band is and it's certainly more late eighties LA via Rose Tattoo than it is anything else, which means it's just my kind of thing. The good or bad thing about the EP is that stylistically it's a mixed bag and even though I can understand that bands want to test the waters and see what sticks it seems to be very much the style of the times. Sometimes it just doesn't work, but this is one of the exceptions: Devine Electric has managed to take pieces from all over the world of rock and make them sound like, um Devine Electric... cool!

So to the EP, as I said it's a mixed back but all good. 'Shylove' that kicks off proceedings is a full flow rocker that gets your attention and immediately and I must admit the vocals really put me in mind of a dirtier Brett Michaels of Poison. Great song that couldn't possibly exist outside of 1989!

'One On One' that follows is beautifully executed AC/DC meets one of the bluesier rock bands that stalked the strip, meets Tuff. It's a great song that I'm sure is a live favourite. But 'Rock Bottom' is something different entirely, it's a long time since I've heard a solo that sounded like that and I like it! It's just one of those songs that hits a groove and won't let up, relentless cool rock and roll to fuel any party and it's hard to say whether that or the ballad that follows is my favourite track. With the right production either of these songs could blow up!

'Flames On The Road To Paradise' is a great song, possibly only slightly let down by the semi-cheesy backing vocals that probably felt like a great idea at the time - and almost are - the idea was right if not quite the execution. Still after a couple of listens you kind of get used to them! Huge potential there!

'Bar Room Boogie' is a sleaze anthem straight from 1987, and it's a song that definitely has that glam edge that bands like Jetboy and Faster Pussycat had to a tee. The breakdown is more fule to my Poison theory! A great fun song that fits the Devine Electric mould perfectly.

There's some great rock out in Sydney at the minute but I'd put these guys up there with bands like Sunset Riot. If I still lived in NSW I'd be checking these guys ou regularly. Great stuff.

Now read on for your chance to win one of a couple of signed copies of the EP.

By Mark Diggins