Round, Round Baby
Scandinavia, we're told, has much to teach us about education, economy, equality and erm, knitwear. That may be true but the lessons they've learnt from the UK and the USA about rock and roll seemed to have been partially lost in translation. Just how many one-note rock n' rollers are there peddling their throwback wares back in the lands of Thor? A great deal I'd say given the evidence and that horde also includes luddites Generous Maria.
The band's new record III poses its way through twelve competent yet uninspired tracks with plenty of rhyming lyrics and cliches about wicked women and the deceit of 'the man'. Generous Maria will be no-one's favourite band but their brand of sure-footed riff-o-rama and dude vocals will appeal to some. How their fanbase found them through the mire of like minded bands is beyond me but if Generous Maria were first on at a festival you'd stick around for a bit before the real talent appeared, playing the songs that informed those of Generous Maria but that's not much of an endorsement.
Unfortunately, with so much of rock's history available at a touch of a button and old-timers still delivering the goods on a regular basis (see the Stones at Glasto or The Boss at any arena) there's just no need to search out a band of Generous Maria's ilk, no matter how well they well turn rock's old tricks. Perhaps, America and ol' Blighty still have something to offer the world after all.