THE ANGELS – Take It To The Streets (2012)

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Veteran Australian band THE ANGELS lost in 2010 their long-time frontman Doc Neeson who had set off to pursue a solo career. Along with bassist Chris Bailey, founder members Rick and John Brewster decided to continue and find a new singer.

They’d been itching to record a new The Angels album for years, they had songs and they had the hunger, and in April 2011 Dave Gleeson was chosen as new vocalist for “Take It To The Streets”, their CD first in a dozen years.

Gleeson, who had spent two decades fronting The Screaming Jets, found proud himself walking into Sydney’s legendary Alberts Studios to record new songs with The Angels, a band that had soundtracked his teenage years and inspired him to take up rock n roll as a career. Gleeson vocals glue with the band’s style, as his slightly raspy tone has the typical classic rock nuances.

Produced by the Brewsters, the new Angels album includes new versions of the group’s classics “Small Price” and “When the Time Comes” with the new line-up, which includes seasoned drummer Nick Norton. Both songs were nicely reworked with an updated sound.

The album has a Classic Rock vibe all over, with the best moments found in the rumbling grooves of “Some Kind of Hell in Here” and “Life Gets Better”, the gentle title track “To The Streets” (complete with vintage organs), and the melodic, atmosphere-soaked ballads “There Comes A Time” and the bluesy “Telephone”.

There’s a good cover of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up”, a more rocking approach on the single “Waiting For The Sun” featuring punchy guitars panned on both channels, and a the cool riff-based “No Sleep In Hell”, full of swagger.

Few in the Classic Rock scene were expecting a new The Angels album, but the band has returned with a fresh line-up and a pack of good new songs.

As Rick Brewster says; ‘We didn’t have to deliver for anybody but ourselves. We all wanted to be there, we all wanted to play, we all wanted to make a new Angels album. And that’s what we did’.

“Take It To The Streets” offers honest Classic Rock sounds, played and recorded in the old-fashioned way with a jangling, bracing burst of electric and acoustic guitars, melodic organs and an organic rhythm section.

Good stuff.

01 – To The Streets

02 – Wounded Healer

03 – Waiting For The Sun

04 – Life Gets Better

05 – Telephone

06 – No Sleep In Hell

07 – The More You Give

08 – When The Time Comes

09 – Pump It Up

10 – There Comes A Time

11 – Small Price

12 – Gettin’ Free

13 – Some Kinda Hell In Here

14 – Free Bird

Dave Gleeson – Vocals

Rick Brewster – Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion

John Brewster – Guitars

Chris Bailey – Bass, Backing Vocals

Nick Norton – Drums & Percussion

BUY IT !

itunes.apple.com/au/preorder/take-it-to-the-streets/id549704163