Small town debauchery from the valley’s
Back about 20 years ago, you could barely go to a gig without seeing a rock band from Wales putting on a great show. In the wake of the Manics came a slew of other – and yes we’ll say it, better – bands. Early Sterophonics was as good as it got, Feeder, of course, but there were others, like the should have been huge The Crocketts and the always fun Liberty37.
The reason for this nostalgia? Well its Sonny Jim, a three piece from Bridgend who come along with a ten tracker that has echoes of all the above.
It’s evident straight away in the opener “Crown Of Thorns” which broods darkly about, simmering with a kind of rage which bubbles under the surface. It is, appropriately, “Let It Go” that sees the shackles really come off, though, and this is a real thumping incessant rock n roll thing.
But there’s another side to Sonny Jim, and this is why “M.A.D” (which stands for Middle Aged Debauchery) is quite so good. It’s the way it lists the lid on the dark side of the small town, a little like the aforementioned ‘Phonics did on “Word Gets Around”. “Little Miss Valentine” is a fine song with a bleak subject matter, but is shot through with class.
There’s a little bit everything here. “Memories And Souvenirs” is the one. The one that you can imagine Planet Rock up on, a huge chorus and an even bigger hook, it is a mid-paced belter, on the other hand “More Than I Am” allows things to head off in another direction, and offers the sobering thought that “we’re all equal when we are six feet underground…..”
The bluesy “Real Life” is another left turn, but a welcome one, while “Rear View Mirror” has a feel of Pearl Jam (and yes we are aware they have a song with more or less the same name) “Wake Up Call” is simple and as effective as a boot to the nutsack, a kind of British take on early Foo’s and surely will sound great live. An arena where you’d imagine the band will shine.
It all ends with “The White Witch” a song that adds a southern rock element to things, and tops off a mighty frine collection, which proves yet again that the underground scene in the UK is home to many, many great bands. Here’s another. We’ve said this before on MV but if this was a band from the West of America then the magazines would fall over themselves to call them the future of some genre they made up with the word “post” in it. As it is Sonny Jim a rock band from the West of Wales who have written a very fine record indeed, hopefully that will be enough for a breakthrough.
Rating 8.5/10
