Lucky Strikes - Gabriel, Forgive Me My 22 Sins
by Jon Rogers
published: 2 / 3 / 2011
Label:
Stovepony Records
Format: CD
intro
Eclectic Americana on concept third album from Southend-on-Sea based band, the Lucky Strikes, about once promising real life boxer Frank Valentinez who after throwing a fight slid into drug addiction, alcholosim and crime
To call ‘Gabriel, Forgive My 22 Sins’, the Lucky Strikes’ third album eclectic would be selling the quartet short. The band might hail from Southend-on-Sea but they are in love with all things American, and particularly Americana. There’s blues, country, gospel, heavy as well as prog rock... And what’s this? Oh they have thrown in the kitchen sink as well. From the sound of it the band must have pretty impressive record collections. Styles and genres are liberally thrown about and songs can chop and change. It could all be a recipe for disaster – a sort of tale of jack of all trades, master of none affair but the band are accomplished and pull it off. Still it doesn’t quite work and there is the murky spectre of a concept album underpinning it all. ‘Gabriel...’ tells the tale of one Frankie Valentinez, apparently a real person, who was a promising boxer who threw a fight for some shady underworld types and that was the start of his slide into drug addiction, alcoholism and violent crime. They’d perhaps like to think they’ve read the works of writers like Nelsen Algren or Charles Bukowski, but never really quite convey the seedier side of life. Whereas singers like a young Tom Waits captured it all in songs about people ‘on the nickel’ on Skid Row, the Lucky Strikes seem to be caught up in the romantic notion of it all with big rousing choruses and a pretty melody. In effect the music doesn’t quite match the lyrics. It’s all rather decent enough – well played, crafted songs and slickly produced – but it’s difficult to actually really get too enthused by it all.
Track Listing:-
1 The Boxer, The Bribe And A Father2 Easily, Easily Until It's Done
3 The Road
4 Gabriel
5 Snake In The Grass
6 Slowly The Night Fades
7 Bel & The Dragon
8 The Fight
9 Man With The Golden Arm
10 Codeine
11 Romans 8
12 We Are Waves
Band Links:-
http://www.theluckystrikes.co.uk/discographyhttps://www.facebook.com/TheLuckyStrikesOfficial
https://twitter.com/theluckystrikes
https://www.youtube.com/user/LuckyStrikesVideos
Label Links:-
http://www.stoveponyrecords.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/stovepony
https://twitter.com/stovepony
soundcloud
reviews |
The Exile and the Sea (2013) |
Fabulous fourth album and concept record of sorts from underrated Essex-based Americana act the Lucky Strikes, which draws on the history of the Thames Estuary |
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