ELECTRIC BOYS

AND THEM BOYS DONE SWANG

RELEASED 2011

ELECTRIC BOYS was one of those bands that killed me with their first CD (the original Swedish version of) Funk ‘o’ Metal Carpet Ride and then sort of faded from my view. It’s a shame really as revisiting their other albums years later I really liked what I heard. Today I’m a big fan of that original output and have followed Connie Bloom though the solo albums to Hanoi Rocks and now here we are again back with Electric Boys.

Well to cut to the chase – it’s a bloody good album! Starting off with the rifftastic ‘Reeferlord’ Electric Boys come across like they are following up that first album, it’s big, it’s funky, it’s loud and yes them boys done swang!

This really is an album where you can take your pick! Every track is choice Grade A funked up Rock N Roll, driven by great riffs, kinda like early Aerosmith with bigger bass sound. There’s a heady mix of funk and psychedelic-driven rock in this store and it’s certainly the best since that debut.

Improbable titles like ‘Father Popcorn’s Magic Oysters’ really tell it all: sheer funked up fun! As for the best tracks, that’s a hard one… Maybe ‘Angel in an Armoured Suit’ which is sooo catchy, definitely ‘Reeferlord’ but to be honest quality control is hard at work on all 15 tracks.    

‘Ten Thousand Times Goodbye’ is a nice slowing of pace that invokes the Beatles in places; ‘The House Is Rockin’” is definitely a nod back to the first album and the original ‘Freaky Funksters’; ‘Sometime You Gotta Go Look For the Car’ is an almost early Prince-like workout, a nice mix indeed.

I like the final few tracks here ‘Mother of a Love Story’ is the most straightforward rock song here and it works well with some fine guitar; whilst ‘Chickalicious’ is a great trademark laid back groove. We close with a couple of great tracks: the blues infused rocker ‘Down on Shakin’ Street’ and a traditional Electric Boys workout ‘Nowhere to go But Up’.  There may be no Psychedelic Eyes or All Lips ‘N’ Hips but we get close.

I’ve waited years for this and it doesn’t disappoint.

by Mark Diggins