Dr. Todd – Give Me a Shot
Genre: Classic rock
So, what is really the difference between classic rock and alternative rock? I suppose that most members of the audience would indicate the conservative nature of the classic rock. Nobody denies the quality of recordings that have unofficially entered the “rock n’ roll canon”. But, the fact is that these recordings are so well known, and these artists are as established as they are because of the fact that, most people in the world, have heard them.
Classic rockers usually can’t drive 55, like their women hot and beers cold, and can’t go two minutes without throwing a guitar solo in there. Nothing is intrinsically wrong with this approach? But, these bands are rarely known to step outside of their comfort zones.
Don’t blame these artists for naivety either? With the vast audiences that have had their listening habits tailored by this kind of music, you can bet that there is still big business to be done by playing like groups that grew up on the blues.
It’s rare to hear a “classic rock” group attempting something new. Dr. Todd’s Give Me a Shot didn’t get the memo and are approaching their blues-rock in the same way that Avantgarde performers would. The song is wobbly and constantly shifting as a bad drunk sliding down the stairs while climbing towards their AA meeting. It’s a realistic, clever, quirky kind of blues. And, it is certainly a confirmation of the fact that life is still within these typical blues hooks.
Tom Allan & The Strangest – Unimpressed & Unaroused
Similar artists: Fontaines DC, Idles, Oasis, Libertines, Slaves, The Clash, Title Fight, Stereophonics
Genre: Post-Punk, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
There’s something that differentiates English working-class music from that made across the world. There’s a certain humour to it. There’s a certain smugness. It seems to tell the world “I know I may be down, but I’m better than you will ever be“. It’s hard for many fans of this not to find the message inspiring. After all, John Lydon’s acidic snarl has built more careers than a stint of working for Apple.
Consequently, there are numerous artists across the world taking these ideas to heart, importing them to their own lands and giving them a new meaning. Just as Krautrock isn’t reduced to Germany, and great Celtic punk is made in Eastern Europe, and the local Tokyo music scene has several AC/DC covers bands, snarly British rock has its global fans and followers.
Tom Allan & The Strangest’s have distilled classic British pop to its bare essentials on Unimpressed & Unaroused. The song title fits as well as an alternative to Morrissey’s biography might do. The song’s hooks, however, are anything but mellow, shooting for stadium-rock pomposity instead. The Mexican three-piece know what they like and aren’t letting geographic distances represent a barrier. Some of the best Brit-pop hooks can be found right here.
