The Treatment – Wake Up The Neighbourhood
With sixth studio album Wake Up The Neighbourhood (which certainly does just that) The Treatment, who firmly established their power-down, big-beat riff rocking New Wave Of Classic Rock identity with third album My Generation, have managed to deliver the best and worst of what the NWOCR has to offer.
How so?
Well, first of all, the band – Tom Rampton (vocals), Tagore and Tao Grey (guitars, backing vocals), Andy Milburn (bass) and the razor-sharp (heart)beat of the band Dhani Mansworth (it all starts at the back, folks) – have written, recorded and performed an album that intentionally "pays homage to the golden era of rock 'n roll."
And fair enough, because that all makes for some raucous roll as epitomised by mid-tempo stomper 'Let’s Wake Up This Town,' a modern take on Bon Scott era AC/DC (the influence of Angus & Co. on The Treatment is undeniable) and a song delivered with bags of enthusiasm.
By its musical nature it’s not exactly original, but it’s extremely well done.
Following number 'Back To The 1970s' (the album’s thematic and lyrical calling card) is a mid-tempo rocker with a bit of shuffle reminiscent of classic Aerosmith; like the opener it’s delivered with gusto and no little skill.
The fist pumping 'When Thunder And Lightning Strikes' could be, initially, from a Def Leppard album (with a touch of 70s Rainbow), complete with crowd participation "woah-ohs" and melodic guitar solos.
However, the song becomes more interesting when it kicks into a mid-song increase in tempo.
'This Fire Still Burns' is an up-tempo rocker in the traditions of AC/DC and NWOBHM era Saxon (again delivered with conviction but lacking in originality) while 'Man On The Highwire' takes its initial riff and rhythm cue from 'Roadhouse Blues' before transforming into a swaggering rock boogie with a monster beat.
By the time you hit 'I Can’t Wait No Longer' (a piano and guitars backed downtempo melange of Ian Hunter/ Mott The Hoople/ Humble Pie) you realise while nothing on the album is done poorly, it’s so close to parody in places that the band may have been better served by delivering a riff-raucous classic covers album (in effect an expanded version of their 2012 Then & Again EP, which featured songs by the likes of Slade and Velvet Underground).
Further making that melange of influences point is party rock and roller (and guaranteed live winner) 'Don’t Make No Difference,' which is Slade meets the Stones; up-tempo rocker 'Fire Me Up' employs mid-80s shades of The Cult; the rock and ramshackle roll of 'Free Yourself' has more than a smattering of The Faces (although the verse melody is a tad too close to 'Rubber Bullets' by 10CC for comfort).
'Kick You Around' is another Slade-influenced rocker (particularly in its drum sound and rhythmic style) while southern-vibed album closer 'I’ve Got My Mind Made Up' is good time rock and roll with a dash of The Black Crowes (thus lifting itself out of the 70s).
Each and every song on Wake Up The Neighbourhood is delivered with conviction but the lack of song originality is both its strength and nostalgia driven weakness.
While many bands labelled as NWOCR have something a little bit different or wholly contemporary to say, there's an element of rock fans, and some in the NWOCR movement, looking to retread familiar paths or head down the "sounds like" route.
And if that’s what you hanker and need a big injection of, then The Treatment is right here.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
How so?
Well, first of all, the band – Tom Rampton (vocals), Tagore and Tao Grey (guitars, backing vocals), Andy Milburn (bass) and the razor-sharp (heart)beat of the band Dhani Mansworth (it all starts at the back, folks) – have written, recorded and performed an album that intentionally "pays homage to the golden era of rock 'n roll."
And fair enough, because that all makes for some raucous roll as epitomised by mid-tempo stomper 'Let’s Wake Up This Town,' a modern take on Bon Scott era AC/DC (the influence of Angus & Co. on The Treatment is undeniable) and a song delivered with bags of enthusiasm.
By its musical nature it’s not exactly original, but it’s extremely well done.
Following number 'Back To The 1970s' (the album’s thematic and lyrical calling card) is a mid-tempo rocker with a bit of shuffle reminiscent of classic Aerosmith; like the opener it’s delivered with gusto and no little skill.
The fist pumping 'When Thunder And Lightning Strikes' could be, initially, from a Def Leppard album (with a touch of 70s Rainbow), complete with crowd participation "woah-ohs" and melodic guitar solos.
However, the song becomes more interesting when it kicks into a mid-song increase in tempo.
'This Fire Still Burns' is an up-tempo rocker in the traditions of AC/DC and NWOBHM era Saxon (again delivered with conviction but lacking in originality) while 'Man On The Highwire' takes its initial riff and rhythm cue from 'Roadhouse Blues' before transforming into a swaggering rock boogie with a monster beat.
By the time you hit 'I Can’t Wait No Longer' (a piano and guitars backed downtempo melange of Ian Hunter/ Mott The Hoople/ Humble Pie) you realise while nothing on the album is done poorly, it’s so close to parody in places that the band may have been better served by delivering a riff-raucous classic covers album (in effect an expanded version of their 2012 Then & Again EP, which featured songs by the likes of Slade and Velvet Underground).
Further making that melange of influences point is party rock and roller (and guaranteed live winner) 'Don’t Make No Difference,' which is Slade meets the Stones; up-tempo rocker 'Fire Me Up' employs mid-80s shades of The Cult; the rock and ramshackle roll of 'Free Yourself' has more than a smattering of The Faces (although the verse melody is a tad too close to 'Rubber Bullets' by 10CC for comfort).
'Kick You Around' is another Slade-influenced rocker (particularly in its drum sound and rhythmic style) while southern-vibed album closer 'I’ve Got My Mind Made Up' is good time rock and roll with a dash of The Black Crowes (thus lifting itself out of the 70s).
Each and every song on Wake Up The Neighbourhood is delivered with conviction but the lack of song originality is both its strength and nostalgia driven weakness.
While many bands labelled as NWOCR have something a little bit different or wholly contemporary to say, there's an element of rock fans, and some in the NWOCR movement, looking to retread familiar paths or head down the "sounds like" route.
And if that’s what you hanker and need a big injection of, then The Treatment is right here.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ