In the mid-Nineties, when the Somerset REEF outfit appeared, they were reviled by London music journalists. This was mostly because they sounded like a hoary, unreconstructed early-Seventies blues-rock band.
Now 2022, REEF are back with new album titled “Shoot Me Your Ace”. In fact, this is ”Reef Mk. II”, a re-energized new version of the band which includes into the line up great guitarist Andy Taylor – once of Duran Duran / The Power Station – who also produced the record.
There’s also Ron Wood’s son Jesse Wood in the band providing young blood, but it’s long-term frontman Gary Stringer’s outrageous Robert-Plant-in-Led-Zep-multiplied-by-three voice that’s the real Marmite factor, especially his devil-may-care attitude and sex-grunts.
This is joyful blast of raw soul-power, no-holds-barred uptempo rock’n’rollacoaster with the band’s classic Seventies influences but also a sharp, ’80s American hard rock edge courtesy of Andy Taylor behind the desk.
Highlights include the title track, quite possibly a tribute to Motörhead, the tight enormo-riffage of “Everything Far Away”, and the closing Aerosmith lollop of “Strangelove”, but those seeking a distilled shot of the album at its most gob-smacking should turn to the ridiculous machismo posturing of “Wolfman”.
Tracklist:
01. Shoot Me Your Ace (03:21)
02. When Can I See You Again (04:17)
03. Refugee (03:27)
04. Best of Me (04:12)
05. Wolfman (03:34)
06. Hold Back the Morning (04:13)
07. Right On (04:50)
08. Everything Far Away (05:12)
09. I See Your Face (03:31)
10. Strange Love (06:09)
REEF (feat. Andy Taylor) – Shoot Me Your Ace (2022)+FLAC
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