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Brad Marr. Aussie now residing in Germany. One of the good guys. Formerly the frontman of the bloody Aussie nutters Massive. One of the best livewire acts around at the time, and also one of the unluckiest. They would book a tour, then a day later, some of the biggest rock acts in the world would announce a tour, not just visiting the same cities, but very often on the same night as Massive were in town. If this reviewer’s recollection is correct, in 2018 not only did they play Glasgow the same night as some sold-out show from a legacy rock band, but they played a few hundred yards along the road from said-sold-out show.
And then there was the time that they played Edinburgh on the same night Kiss were playing to thousands along the M8 in Glasgow. That Edinburgh show is stuff of folklore now; the night Brad Marr got someone up out of the crowd to braid his hair – we have the photos to prove it.
The memory of that night, though, is one of Brad coming straight offstage after the set ended and walking to the exit, shaking hands with everyone on their way out and thanking them for coming. As previously said, Brad Marr is one of the good guys. And now, with Sweet Electric, he has the vehicle to match his joie de vivre and his predilection for all things glittery.
Aussies and Germans in the same rock band will always bring a good time, pub rock n’ roll feel to the party. It’s in their collective DNA. But although Sweet Electric have some great ‘DC-influenced moments, like ‘These Guns’ and ‘Long Way Back’ (where Marr declares that he “…learned the guitar to be a big star…”) there is more depth to sophomore album ‘Something Something Disco’ than mere meat and two veg, heads down, rock n’ roll boogie.
Very much marching to the beat of their own drum (or in Marr’s case, cowbell), Sweet Electric very rarely play it safe, and often the listener does not have a clue what is coming next. Opening track ‘Sick in The Head’ starts like a Supersuckers track with some gnarly, bending guitar notes, almost a mash-up between Duane Eddy and Ministry; it then breaks out to Marr opting for fast-paced, scattergun-like rapping lyrics, all with huge gang vocals in the background. A track born to open an album, and one meant for the live stage. Utterly bonkers, with a mariachi-like vibe towards the end. Bonkers.
How do they follow that up? With the glam-infused stomp of ‘Mexico’, that’s how. As catchy as a Tijuana hooker, but with less risk, it is great fun – the theme that runs through most of the album. This one will go down the proverbial storm on the upcoming dates with Hayseed Dixie, as will the toe-tapping hoedown of ‘Get Up’, which is full of insane earworm moments and some killer guitar licks.
‘Somewhere in The Middle’ is a great example of what could be Sweet Electric’s mission statement. You might pick up a snifter or two of a Proclaimers influence, or even Status Quo, but Jesus Shitting Christ, after a few beers, this is a guaranteed floor-filler. One of those moments where people wake up the next afternoon and wonder what the hell they did the night before.
‘D34D!’ has so many twists and turns that it will turn the listener inside out. Nuttier than a barrel of squirrel shit. ‘I Remember You’ is a change of pace from most that has gone before it, and has a lovely, gradual build to a gorgeous uplifting feel that seques into a punkier feel with lots of feels. There is nothing cookie-cutter about these guys.
Great fun. Really, great fun, and with the decision to relocate to Europe seemingly paying off, perhaps Brad Marr’s time has come.
‘Something Something Disco’ (cool album sleeve, btw) is available here: https://www.sweetelectricofficial.com/
2026 Tour Dates:
Sept 10 – Luxor – Cologne DE*
Sept 12 – Riders Cafe – Lübeck DE*
Sept 13 – Roadrunners Paradise – Berlin DE*
Sept 15 – Hellraisers – Leipzig DE*
Sept 16 – Colos-Saal – Aschaffenburg DE*
Sept 18 – Backstage Halle – Munich DE*
Sept 19 – Kultbox – Kempton DE*
Sept 20 – Musigburg – Aarburg CH*
Sept 23 – The Globe – Cardiff UK*
Sept 24 – Bread Shed – Manchester UK*
Sept 25 – The Grove – Newcastle UK*
Sept 27 – Camden Assembly – London UK*
Oct 14 – Waterfront – Norwich UK+
Oct 15 – The Brook – Southampton UK+
Oct 16 – The Junction – Cambridge UK+
Oct 17 – Union Chapel – London UK+
Oct 19 – O2 Academy 2 – Oxford UK+
Oct 20 – Komedia – Bath UK+
Oct 21 – Corporation – Sheffield UK+
Oct 22 – Boiler Shop – Newcastle UK+
Oct 23 – Brudenall Social Club – Leeds UK+
Oct 24 – KKs Steelmill – Wolverhampton UK +
Oct 27 – O2 Academy 2 – Liverpool UK+
Oct 28 – Old Fire Station – Carlisle UK+
Oct 30 – St Lukes – Glasgow UK+
Oct 31 – Oran Mor – Glasgow UK+
* Supporting The Lazys
+ Supporting Hayseed Dixie
Review – Dave
Live photo credit – Dave Jamieson
Portrait photo credit – Petri
