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You have to hand it to Nathan James. He doesn’t do anything the easy way! Following straight on from one of my favourite releases of 2021 in “We Will Ride” Inglorious take the unusual step of releasing an entire album of covers. Not any covers though. An entire album of covers of songs made famous by female vocalists.
James has been very upfront about the influence many of the artists featured have had on his career so I was dying (and a little wary) to hear what the band had done with them. Now, if you are going to cover female artists as a rock band, you would go all-in with covers by famous rock artists, right? Nope! That would be FAR too simple. The tracklisting REALLY mixes things up with a wide range of styles.
So, I press play and hold my breath to hear what Inglorious do to Whitney Houston’s “Queen of the Night”. Oh, my world it is glorious. It is sassy. It is divaesque. It rocks and it rolls and when I played it in work to a bunch of middle ages ladies who have a bit of a thing for Whitney they were blown away and danced around the dispensary, loving every second. Adding even more variety, the guitar solo on this one goes all Nuno and Extreme with some funkalicious gorgeousness.
Next up? “Barracuda” by Heart. This track stands out as it showcases Nathan James’ vocal range to maximum effect. It doesn’t stray from the original too much (few of the songs do, they celebrate and pay homage rather than reinvent) but as it draws to a close James takes a high note. Then a higher note. Then an even higher note. Finally, the song comes to an end with a simply extraordinary note that I had to listen to several times to ensure I wasn’t just imagining it existed!
“Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus is rocked up and is an interesting choice next. I will be honest and say it is far from my favourite track on the album, but that is more because some of the others are SO much more my taste rather than this particular track lacking anything. “Nutbush City Limits” brings some brass to the party, and what a party it is! The first time I heard this I could imagine the band just jamming this at a soundcheck or private party and having a great time. I can’t stop smiling whenever I play it and my toes tap uncontrollably. In many ways, this sums up how the album feels for me. It is fun and just great to listen to. £1 of every sale of the album from the website goes to a women’s charity “Women’s Aid” so I loved James’ comment in another interview that he had thought about the fact that Ike Turner was involved in “Nutbush” but as he was dead he would get no royalties so “Fuck You Ike”
Now for one of the tracks that I had to get an external view on. You see, my other half is a HUGE Evanescence fan and also has a very emotional connection to some of their songs as she shared that love with a late friend. When she hears anyone cover one of Amy Lee’s songs she tends to simply “Nope”. I put “Bring me to Life” on and she listened politely to the intro. Then as James ripped into the drop her eyes widened and she, for the first time in our time together, loved an Evanescence cover! Once Jeff Scott Soto had joined in with the rap lines she loved it every bit as much as I did and the album review gained a second opinion as she asked to listen to the rest.
Back to the divas with Christina Aguilera’s ‘Fighter’. The speed of the vocals on this track is really impressive. Lord knows when James breathes and again as the song takes off his power is stunning. Another song that comes as a bit of a surprise is “I’m With You” by Avril Lavigne. I have to be honest it isn’t a song I know very well but as a stand-alone song it really works well and I found myself growing to like it and seek out the original. One of my few frustrations with this album is not knowing which of the two guitarists plays which solo but I found that the solo on this track is by Danny Dela Cruz and it is sublime. “I Hate Myself for Loving You” is a rock standard courtesy of Joan Jett and is another party song with a much deeper, almost growling vocal at the lower end of James range. This song has made me watch every speed limit I have driven through when I have had it on in the car as it thunders along relentlessly.
Now, back to that second reviewer. Mr. Nathan James are you really going to attempt to cover a Lzzy Hale track? I honestly think that if this isn’t something special a small blonde will seek you out and ask what on earth you were doing. Lzzy Hale is her idol. Not just a Lzzy track but “I Am the Fire” of all songs? Her reaction? “Oh Wow!” Seriously this song is NAILED! It has become one of my favourite songs on the album and it is incendiary in every way. Production. Instrumentals. The rhythm section. All topped off with stellar vocals. I would love to know what the lady herself thinks of this one and one day, to hear them sing it together. 
A total change of pace to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”. The vocal on this is really emotional and almost vulnerable? It becomes a beautiful ballad in the hands of Inglorious. Great as the vocal is though. It is the solo that really stands out on this song. Danny Dela Cruz (I believe) take a bow. It really came out of nowhere for me as it is different from anything I have heard him play before. Clean and with so much feeling. It scares me that he can play something so mature at just 21. The playout with James and Dela Cruz is possibly my favourite part of the entire album. Song of the album though? “Uninvited” by Alanis Morisette. James has paid tribute to the artist as being one of his favourites and being a huge influence on him and then played the song live several times. IT. IS. HUGE! Taking the original into a dark and Zeppelin-like place that draws you in and blows you away. The album couldn’t end with a more unforgettable piece of music.
It must have taken guts to issue an album of covers and even more so to make them all songs written and performed by female artists but it works spectacularly for me and coupled with “We Will Ride” makes me look forward to whatever is coming next.
‘Heroine’ is available now, more information, here.
Review and live images – Rob Wilkins
