Tom Minor – Bring Back the Good Ol’ Boys
There are plenty of reasons why the British are proud of their rock stars. Some of them are responsible for crafting some of the best pop songs available for public consumption, and got to wave the flag while doing it. That’s not a small thing for national pride!
However, the greatest reason to love British rock stars, if you happen to be from the same neck of the woods, is their ability to be silly and get away with it. Dress in funny costumes? Write songs about bizarre exploits, and never have to wear a stiff-upper-lip expression? Wonderful!
Tom Minor knows that some of the best British rock songs weren’t rocking at all. In fact, they took in elements from music hall, skiffle, and British folk, styles that would mean little to residents from outside of the island, or whose grandparents didn’t grow up in the 1940s.
“Bring Back the Good Ol’ Boys” is a fantastic track. It sounds like the theme song for some eccentric villain who has decided to make London their home. And, it sounds amazingly much like a 1970s glam-rock song, like something Bowie might’ve written for Mott the Hoople, who were too proud to attempt it. It’s funny, a little unhinged, and screams “Empire!” in a shrill, sassy voice.
Champions – The Sea Wants More
Fear of lawful employment has been responsible for creating more good bands than if Gibson and Fender had decided to team up and hand over guitars to passers by out of a truck.
There’s an unwritten rule which states that people are interesting enough, don’t need to concern themselves too much with the real world. That stuff is best left to dull people with boring lives who need to throw in some small talk about sports teams or politicians to move their day along.
But, Champions know that the first people to truly suffer when the world moves in and asks for something are the artists. Fines, military recruitment and requests for comments on the recent Argentine elections seem to target them specifically. And, some of them, your Thom Yorkes and Bonos of the world can’t help but give a soundbite whenever a camera is nearby.
Champions is made up of people who aren’t falling for it and are encouraging listeners to do the same. The excellent, well-performed, theatrical grunge of “The Sea Wants More” is an anthem against falling for the trap of giving political yapping and convos about conservatives vs. liberals too much of your time. That’s a losing game and a never-ending one at that. On the other hand, whatever game that Champions’ musicians are playing at, they’re winning!
