Aussie rock legends THE ANGELS are releasing their first album of original material in a decade – and coincides with their 50 Not Out Tour, celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary. As the book The 100 Best Australian Albums declared, “The Angels can lay claim to being Australia’s longest-lasting band.”
Most bands would mark a major milestone with a victory lap, content to trade on past glories. Not The Angels. When thinking about how they should mark their 50th birthday, they decided: “Why don’t we go for broke?” – and that’s how it’s titled the opening track: ‘Ninety Nine (Go For Broke)’
The album is as well the band’s first album with new singer Nick Norton, who joined the band on drums in 2011, but replaced Dave Gleeson on the mic last year.
”Ninety Nine” is classic The Angels, from the intriguing title right through to the cover artwork, which depicts guitarist Rick Brewster’s predilection for collecting old phone boxes. Then there’s the songs, filled with energy, menace and riffs that are a rallying cry to rock fans around the world.
Nick Norton has the unenviable task of filling Dave Gleeson’s shoes – he handles it with aplomb, by the way – while John Brewster’s sons Sam and Tom ensure the band now has more Brewsters than Crowded House has Finns!
Norton doesn’t try to ape either of his predecessors, though his vocal style is closer to that of Gleeson. Pulsating opener ”Ninety Nine (Go For Broke)” takes aim at the richest 1 per cent, while ‘Blue Winter’ has echoes of American classic rock circa 1980. There’s the backbeat of ‘Follow the Red Thread’ and the epic Floydian guitar solo of ‘Heart to Heart’.
The set closes on a high with ‘Hue and Cry’, whose frenetic harp and driving rhythm will make your foot tap for sure.
On ”Ninety Nine” The Angels rocks with the spirit that classic Rock n’ Roll should deliver.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
01.Ninety Nine (Go For Broke) (2:46)
02.Blue Winter (2:59)
03.Heartbeats (3:39)
04.Follow The Red Thread (3:40)
05.Minor Truth (Long Live The Queen) (3:21)
06.Heart To Heart (7:08)
07.Into The Void (4:25)
08.Under the Stone (4:18)
09.Style Over Substance (2:33)
10.Little Lies (4:41)
11.Escape (3:46)
12.Leaders of Men (2:45)
13.Hue And Cry (3:47)
The Angels – Ninety Nine (2024)
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