THUNDER – Rip It Up (3-CD Limited Deluxe Edition)
British Hard Rock institution THUNDER released their eleventh studio album “Rip It Up” a couple years ago, and there was also this 3-CD Limited Deluxe Edition including their complete awesome live performance at the 100 Club.
As the title suggests, “Rip It Up” sees Danny Bowes, Luke Morley, Ben Matthews, Chris Childs and “Harry” James stretching themselves musically, lyrically and creatively.
This was released nearly three decades into their career and, if the age ’27’ is normally famed and feared as the rock milestone at which many of the great and the good have had their creative flames extinguished, then Thunder have arrived with a bulging bag of tunes, a notebook of great lyrics, a jerrycan of petrol, and a match.
“Rip It Up” is built around the twin pillars of Luke Morley’s songs and vocalist Danny Bowes interpretive ability, as the duo soar above the rock solid rhythm section of Chris Childs and Harry James, while Ben Matthews gives the band additional sonic armoury.
Indeed, there are kicking rockers like the incendiary title track, ripsnorters like ‘She Likes The Cocaine’ or ‘Shakedown’, whilst songs like semiballad ‘Right From The Start’ take the pace down, but turn the intensity up.
Very few bands this deep into their career sound this fresh and exciting. Morley also adds some clever some oxymoronic wordplay to maintain lyrical interest on ‘The Enemy Inside’, while he adds a Who style power chord intro and an accompanying Zeppelin riff to the stonking ‘Tumbling Down’.
Whilst the album closes out with the stylish blues-tinged melancholia of ‘There’s Always A Loser’, it’s clear that the band have continued with their winning ways.
For a band that has been successfully reborn after two retirements and with a recent chart album and arena tour, there’s a lot riding on “Rip It Up” and it delivers impressively.
It pushes all the right buttons and is framed by a big production, punctuated by Morley’s big guitar figures and topped by Danny Bowes expressive phrasing on some great hooks.
And the this Limited Edition is a must for Thunder fans, featuring the complete show at the 100 Club on 2 discs (doesn’t fit into one) with the band showcasing their full potential via extended versions of their classic numbers such as ‘Backstreet Symphony’ or ‘Love Walked In’, and the newer ones like “Wonder Days”.
This 3-CD Box delivers all the essential elements that originally made rock music so exciting, while apart from the classic hard rock template which includes occasional retro influences, showcases a band that never stop to evolve, and in many ways, gettin’ better.
In short, an absolutely storming listen with something for just about everybody to wrap themselves up in.
HIGHLY Recommended
Disc 1: RIP IT UP
01 – No One Gets Out Alive
02 – Rip It Up
03 – She Likes the Cocaine
04 – Right from the Start
05 – Shakedown
06 – Heartbreak Hurricane
07 – In Another Life
08 – The Chosen One
09 – The Enemy Inside
10 – Tumbling Down
11 – There’s Always a Loser
Disc 2: LIVE AT THE 100 CLUB
01 – Wonder Days
02 – Black Water
03 – River of Pain
04 – Chasing Shadows
05 – Broken
06 – The Devil Made Me Do It
07 – Backstreet Symphony
08 – I’ll Be Waiting
Disc 3: LIVE AT THE 100 CLUB (continued)
01 – Resurrection Day
02 – The Thing I Want
03 – Love Walked In
04 – I Love You More Than Rock ‘n’ Roll
05 – The Rocker
06 – Dirty Love
Danny Bowes – Vocals
Luke Morley – Guitars
Harry James – Drums
Ben Matthews – Guitars, Keyboards
Chris Childs – Bass
Lynne Jackaman – Backing Vocals
Try Here:
www.amazon.co.uk/Rip-Up-Deluxe-3CD-Thunder/dp/B01MQT280L
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