www.needleinthegroove.co.uk: Read Out Loud

Thursday 25 June 2020

Read Out Loud - 'S/T' Album review

If you’ve ever been to gigs across the North West, and especially the wonderful venue that is Eleven, there’s usually a guy in attendance that you know is a bit of a kindred spirit and looks the part like he should be in a band. Tim has had his talons into some very decent bands, such as Demon, Chrome Molly and probably the best tribute band I’ve ever witnessed, Limehouse Lizzy. The bloke has got some serious chops….and a black book to kill for.

If you’re going to do a debut album then why not drag in some great mates to join the party. First to be in on the act was Demon drummer Neil Ogden, then they enlisted the services of producer and Demon member Paul Hume (owner of Eleven), and the three laid down the basic tracks for the album. Once completed the final pieces of the jigsaw were made, with FM’s keyboard tinkler supreme, Jim Davis joining the ranks. And last, but by no means least the band is rounded out with Josh Williams. Before I’ve heard the album (apart from the live launch), I’m excited to listen to it as I’m expecting harmonies to die for as all the guys involved in Tim’s band can certainly sing.

‘Surrender’ opens up as bit like FM’s ‘Tough it Out’ with police sirens wailing, before an ‘ever so 80s’ sound that makes me go info a comfort zone of wonderfulness of bands like Only Child, Blue Murder et al……and as expected there’s harmonies a-plenty. Read has a gravel and gruffness to his tone that does not detract from the songs. I was expecting more polish in his style, but its a good contrast. Read delves deep into his musical influences - from the Valley Of The Kings/Kashmir/Judgment Day influenced ‘Nowhere To Run’, to Down To Earth era Rainbow (oooh I love me a Hammond organ) ‘Close To You’, Theres a full red blooded high octane Malmsteen like ‘The Girl Is Trouble’, ‘Playing With Fire’ has undertones of April Wine’s classic ‘I Like To Rock’, only with more menace and thunder, and there’s the classy ‘In My Heart’. Six songs in and Read is cooking with gas!

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Phil Lynott made a band with Steve Harris (Iron Lizzy?), the outcome is ‘Are You Out There?’ A good homage to a great guy. ‘Staring At The Sun’ is the ‘big’ track on the album for me, it has that Blackmore, Kotzev guitar with the underlying organ. As a big rainbow fan, it ticks a lot of boxes for me, and it is fab. ‘Talk To Me’ opens up like it could be metalised Abba! ‘Take No More From You’ pulls everyone in for a highlight of their talents. ‘You’re My Angel’s’ piano sound evokes Styx, and is the poppiest sounding song on the album. ‘Don’t Go’ is apt for a final song, as I found I wanted to listen to it all again. This shows another side to Reads persona, it’s a ballad that screams ‘class’ from high and Read plays like one of his Lizzy cohorts Brian Robertson on the solo. Its a great ending for a great debut. I’ve changed my mind. THIS is the big song on the album!

I was VERY pleased with this cracking debut from Read. A mix of influences but with both his feet firmly planted in the golden era of rock. Unless Ive got it all wrong of course! Read has himself some great songs, pulled together one hell of a blackmail list of participants, and plays his part like any leader should. It’s not called ‘Read Out Loud’ for nothing. In fact it does exactly what it says on the tin. Only sing it loud!

In the current Covid-19 crisis it’s a difficult time for everyone, musicians in particular. If you can spare the money I can think of no better way of supporting the music we love and send some of it Read’s way.

8/10

Surrender

Waiting For The Sun

Close To You

The Girl Is Trouble

Playing With Fire

In My Heart

Are You Out There?

Staring At The Sun

Talk To Me

Nowhere To Run

Take No More From You

You’re My Angel

Don’t Go

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ABOUT ME

I was brought up on my dad's record collection of rock 'n' roll greats. He was a Teddy Boy and had all the gear (and hair) - drain pipe trousers, jacket, crepe shoes. We listened to Elvis, Bill Hailey, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Fats Domino, Tommy Steel, and the big names from the sixties such as Dave Clark Five, Wayne Fontana, Dave Dee (etc.,). This music was the kind that you would listen to to rebel against and annoy your parents; it was rough, wild, and the Ted's had a reputation.

So, fast forward to the end of the 70's. I was about 12 when it was the thing to choose your musical stance. It had to be a good choice as there was no going back. You had to be a mod, or a rocker back around 1980. I had a mate (still do, just the one mind) and he was an influence with regards to my musical tastes (and we still go gigging together to this day), and what with my dad's influence I chose the rocker route. I've never looked back. We (me and dad) both started a musical journey where our parents hated what we listened to! In fact, being a teenager in the mid 50s, it wasn't any different to being a teenager in the late 70's/early 80's with regards to rebellion. Although in my era, you couldnt get rickets.

I was fed strictly on a cassette diet of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Rush and Rainbow. From there it expanded into melodic rock and hair metal - Journey, Foreigner, Stryper, Ratt, Motley Crue, and Dokken. And Prog!

I absorbed all I could. I was a human sponge. The internet was eons away, so I got my fix via a wonderful weekly paper called 'Sounds.' It covered a lot of genres, but they specialised in Rock! I read it every week without fail for about three years. I loved the way their reporters wrote articles. It was like they were talking directly to me. It's how I try to do the same today. When it stopped, I moved with the crowd and subscribed to 'Kerrang!' A lot of the 'Sounds' crew moved across, and it felt like home. I wanted to know more about what was happening over in the U.S. So I subscribed to 'Hit Parader' - it was shite really, the articles weren't great, but the pictures were good. Plus I could follow the Dokken feud between Don and George. Thirty odd years later, they still hate each other! Today, its a diet of 'Classic Rock' Mag, sometimes 'Prog Mag', 'Fireworks' and 'Planet Rock' mag.

My enjoyment of this music has never waned. I see the same people time and again and its a great community. I try to get to as many gigs as I can still as its much better than sitting on your arse reviewing. I hope you enjoy the blog!

Paul Chesworth