THE QUIREBOYS – Amazing Disgrace (2019)

British rockers THE QUIREBOYS will release their new album “Amazing Disgrace“ soon. The plan was to get it released tomorrow, but it has been delayed April 19.
“Amazing Disgrace” is the sixth Quireboys album in seven years but quality over quantity remains the mantra. It’s all the quality classic rock the band is known for, and perhaps the most diverse record from their career.

And the decision to lay down “Amazing Grace” at the world famous Rockfield Studios turned out to be an inspired decision as the weight of history created a unique pressure on a band determined to evolve.
‘You come out of the front door and on the right-hand side you can see up to the window of the room where Freddie Mercury wrote Bohemian Rhapsody,’ says guitarist Paul Guerin.
‘I was like a kid in a sweet shop. And if you can’t draw inspiration from recording in that environment then you’re probably in the wrong job!’ Guerin is clearly in the right job.

And the job satisfaction will surely spike again when The Quireboys headline a special one-off show celebrating 35 years as self-styled rock and roll rebels. The band returns to London’s O2 Kentish Forum on September 14 and the two-hour 35th Anniversary special will feature iconic album ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy played in its entirety’ for the first time ever.
Fans will be treated to the best of “Amazing Grace” and choice cuts from a bulging back catalogue hits.

Yes, hard to believe it’s been 35 years since The Quireboys introduced themselves to the world and 29 years ago their outstanding debut ‘A Bit of What You Fancy’ was unleashed before reaching #2 in the UK charts all those years ago.
The band has been well-known for being one of the hardest working in the industry, with a seemingly constant tour-album-tour rotation with six recordings released in the last seven years.

With this much material in such a short space of time, you would think the band would be running out of ideas to push their musical boundaries but “Amazing Disgrace” proves just the opposite, as the band not only continue to write & record ‘classic’ Quireboys material but also get to be a bit more diverse & experimental.
From the opening track of ‘Original Black Eyed Son’ we know we are in Quireboys country as Keith Weir’s honky tonk piano and Guy Griffin & Paul Guerin’s guitars kick us off, with Spike doing what Spike always has done best – and he’s sounding at the top of his game throughout this release.

But wait, there are also underlying additions to this classic sound, as we are treated to horns & brass sections and it works wonderfully throughout the album. ‘Sinner’s Serenade’ is a fantastic bluesy rock n’ roll track that oozes with slick guitars and swagger.
The first single release ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ takes us into a stomp & grind feel with fabulous backing vocals to boot, something I don’t recall as being so noticeable in previous recordings.

The title track is going to be a live classic to challenge ‘Mona Lisa Smiled’ & ‘7 o’ Clock’ with bounce, energy & sing-a-longs mid-track. We ease back off the pace with ‘Eve Of The Summertime’ as the band take us back to the gypsy blues with fiddles & catchy chorus, which again will be a live hit.
‘California Blues’ is almost a tip of the hat to The Who with a ‘Won’t get Fooled Again’ feel which shows a different side to the bands diverse creativity.
Mentions must also go to fantastic rhythm work from Dave McCluskey (drums) & Gary Ivin (bass), which help the album run along so smoothly.

More swagger & sway from Spike during ‘Feels Like A Long Time’ as we are treated to exquisite harmonies & backing vocals. Griffin & Guerin are wonderful throughout the album with complimenting solos & riff-work, as is Weir whose piano just adds that smoky bar room feel to the whole thing.
‘Slave Number One’ pumps us back up with an almost Rolling Stones strut and rock feel before we slow down on the penultimate track ‘Dancing In Paris’ with its ‘Roses n Rings’ vibe (one of my favorites).

The album closes out with guitar riffs a plenty in ‘Medusa My Girl’ with its regimented drum beat, back ground fiddles & Hammond organ to close off a fantastic collection of tracks that, although very different at times, work so well.

This new album is up there in my top three Quireboys releases, alongside ‘A Bit of What You Fancy’ & ‘Homewreckers & Heartbreakers’ and is a must for all Quireboys fans and also for those who aren’t.
It’s great to see things are looking so bright for these ‘youthful’ guys that just keep going. In the words of front man Spike, “We’re The Quireboys and this is rock n’ f@ckin’ roll”.
They are indeed and this most certainly is.
Highly Recommended

01. Original Black Eyed Son
02. Sinners Serenade
03. Seven Deadly Sins
04. Amazing Disgrace
05. Eve Of The Summertime
06. California Blues
07. This Is It
08. Slave #1
09. Feels Like A Long Time
10. Dancing In Paris
11. Medusa My Girl

Spike (Vocals)
Guy Griffin (Guitar)
Paul Guerin (Guitar)
Keith Weir (Keyboards)
Dave McCluskey (Drums)
Gary Ivin (Bass)

PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Disgrace-Quireboys/dp/B07PQH33T3
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