Leeds’ finest are back, baby
Formed 12 years ago, this is just the third album from Gentlemen’s Pistols. And whilst this will never have them rivalling Joe Bonamassa in the discography stakes, clearly it’s a quality not quantity thing with the four piece.
It’s been four years since their absolute knockout of a record, “At Her Majesty’s Pleasure” record, and following the maxim of, “look, the last one was brilliant, let’s not piss about with anything too different here”, “Hustler’s Row” is more of the fantastic same.
Which means that founder member James Atkinson – a man so good we even forgave the fact he was wearing a pink vest when saw the band the first time – is still showcasing his vocals, which are still perfect for this classic rock brew, but crucially it means that Bill Steer is back again. Carcass six stringer Steer joined this band in 2009 (no stranger to bluesy hard rock having previously been in Firebird) and his wonderful mellifluous tone really elevates things here, as it did on “….Pleasure.”
They’ve been busy with other things in that four year hiatus, but when they lock into the opening groove of “The Searcher” it really is a case of picking up where they left off for Gentlemens Pistols, as new bass man Robert Threapleton slots in seamlessly.
The song was the lead single on the record, is totally and utterly without self consciousness, “I’m just an urchin, that keeps searching” sings Atkinson with something approaching childlike glee. And, brother, they ain’t even close to being done. The riff for “Devil’s Advocate On Call” is one of a band that doesn’t so much want to make up for lost time as have time wait for them to catch up.
Taking its cues from the likes of Free and Bad Company and Thin Lizzy (and let’s face it there are worse bands to borrow from) “Time Wasters” starts with a solo and gets more ebullient from there. It’s followed by “Private Rendezvous” a song so primal that you might catch something if you get to close. When Atkinson – who also acts as producer here – is asking to be “swallowed right down” it’s safe to assume he isn’t talking about his Tesco online delivery, but before you can remove that thought, “Personal Fantasy Wonderland” is ploughing the same furrow – just with a heavier riff.
GP are happy to go down the blues road too, “Stress And Confusion” is the timeless sound of men who face the modern world without a care in the world. Let trends come and go they seem to say, it’s just fine thanks.
“Hustlers Row” is an album without a weak point, “Dazzle Drizzler” passes by in a blur, with no one really knowing what it’s about, “Coz Of You” is all the excuse that Steer needs to cut loose and the laid back strains of the title track with all its Led Zeppelin-isms is an ambitious piece of work, that although out of kilter with the other songs here, it works perfectly.
Since 2011 when Gentlemen’s Pistols were last on the scene, there’s been a slew of what apparently must be termed by magazines as “retro” bluesy rock (timeless is a better word). The likes of The Temperance Movement and Rival Sons have all come along and taken the limelight. On this evidence they’ve got some serious competition again, because “Hustler’s Row” sounds just about perfect.
Rating 9.5/10
