Devil's Gate Music
Related Articles
“Greatness is not born. Greatness is developed.” – Steven Van Zandt.
Development from one album to the next is crucial in the growth of a band pushing through the ceiling to find a much larger audience than before. Repeat what has gone before and there is the risk of standing still. Those Damn Crows are a fantastic example of a band refusing to stand still – a band where clear development and growth between each album is visible. Fellow proud Welshmen Scarlet Rebels are another example of a band refusing to rest on their laurels. 2022’s sophomore album – ‘See Through Blue’ – was a huge kick-on from 2019’s acclaimed debut ‘Show Your Colours’, and now the Llanelli quartet has gone one step further and produced their best album thus far: studio album number three – ‘Where The Colours Meet’.
Eschewing to an extent the political stance that came with ‘See Through Blue’ (very much an album of the time described by Rebels’ frontman Wayne Doyle as “polarising”) ‘Where The Colours Meet’ is joyous. It’s a celebration. And it’s hopeful.
The band still takes a few swings at the outgoing Conservative government in the shape of the hard-hitting ‘How Much Is Enough’ which according to Doyle came together after seeing “…pensioners having to make a choice about whether they eat a meal a day or heat their homes for a few hours…” and deals with fatcats lining their pockets by asking “How much is enough?”. Fuelled by some huge Townshend-sized power chords from the immaculate playing of Chris Jones, it’s heartfelt, and as a songwriter Doyle is entitled to write about the many outrages happening in this country daily.
Music has always gone hand in hand with politics, so it’s baffling that some people would take offence at a band using their platform to sing about the state of the world. Imagine someone telling John Lennon or Neil Young not to use their music as a political platform, besides, it can’t all be about going down to the river and washing one’s sins away.
If ‘How Much Is Enough’ is subtle in its intended targets then the Thin Lizzy-esque ‘Divide and Conquer’ (the incredible guitar sound from Jones is so reminiscent of Gary Moore at his swaggering best) doesn’t fanny around, with Doyle stating: “After 14 years of Tories in power, with everything much worse than it was before, and with the highest office position in the country passed around like a shitty stick between politicians and so-called leaders that we didn’t elect… I thought I’d have my say. We deserve better.” Great to see a young band not afraid to speak their minds.
More character-driven than its predecessor, ‘Where The Colours Meet’ is the sound of a band brimming with confidence. Wearing their hearts on their collective sleeves concerning influences, there are hints of acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Who, AC/DC, and The Stereophonics (Kelly Jones must be fuming that he never came up with the staggering and bombastic ‘Let Me In’) peppered throughout the album.
Wayne Doyle has always – at least to these ears – sparked comparisons with Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and fellow Welshman James Dean Bradfield, when he sings, you listen. Something in his voice that makes you stop and listen. Perfect enunciation thanks to the stellar production from Chris Clancy and Colin Richardson certainly helps.
Loads of moments leap out and pop their hands in the air in the race to be noticed; the aforementioned ‘Let Me In’ for one takes some beating; according to the production notes ‘It Was Beautiful’ had a difficult birth, but the result was certainly worth the stress and gives The Rebels a Stateside hit in all but name; ‘Grace’ worships at the E-Street altar; the punky Ricky Warwick co-write ‘My House My Rules’ is great fun and Gary Doyle slays from behind his kit; but the winner (this week at least) has to be the gorgeous collaboration with Elles Bailey, ‘Out Of Time’. A ballad with similar pacing to ‘November Rain’, it is far from saccharine-filled and instead deals with the fallout of a relationship that has ended from the perspective of how one of the protagonists burnt the other’s “…dreams to dirt…”. It comes with a gorgeous melodic solo from Chris Jones, and if ever Richard Curtis decides to come up with a reimagining of ‘Notting Hill’ or ‘Love Actually’ then Doyle and Bailey have created the perfect theme song for either.
Scarlet Rebels – ‘Where The Colours Meet’: Growth. Development. Greatness.
Review – Dave
All images – Rob Blackham
OUT NOW via Earache Records on all platforms HERE
Instore Tour
Wed 21 August – The Jacaranda – Liverpool
Thurs 22 August – Assai Records – Dundee
Thur 22 August – Assai Records – Edinburgh
Live shows
Fri 23 Aug – Stonedead – Newark*
Headline Tour
Wed 2 Oct – Anarchy – Newcastle
Thu 3 Oct – The Live Rooms – Chester
Fri 4 Oct – KK’s Steel Mill – Wolverhampton
Sat 5 Oct – Cathouse – Glasgow
Sun 6 Oct – Deaf Institute – Manchester
Mon 7 Oct – Thekla – Bristol
Tue 8 Oct – Garage – London
Wed 9 Oct – Craufurd Arms – Milton Keynes
Thu 10 Oct – Rescue Rooms – Nottingham
Fri 11 Oct – The Key Club – Leeds
*Festival date
Connect with Scarlet Rebels, HERE
