Last Man Standing's mismash of an album
What the hell? Why do I feel like I suddenly should be in Yorkshire, walking through the Dales with a green, woolly hat on? Because, the harmonica and violin start to this particular album puts you right into a scene from "Last of the Summer Wine". Fortunately, this doesn't last too long!
Moving swiftly on from the initial point, we begin to see what makes "Last Man Standing" tick. "Queen Kong" certainly ups the funk level to a new high. Already this record seems a tad random. This track is quite soulful with a hint of blues. It is reminiscent of the "White Stripes" in places; more so towards the end when the guitars kick in.
"Waiting So Long" really smacks of The White Stripes with very similar sounding vocals. It's a slower, more downbeat track with soft drumming and piano accompaniment. "The Dean Street" sounds like it should be played in some Western Cantina, Stateside. The record has now veered into the realms of country! It doesn't last too long as it seems to veer into a more Honkey-Tonk sound. I'm not too sure where the band wanted to go with this song, certainly when the synth cuts in at the end.
"Bar Room Floor" certainly has a more ballad-rock feel to it. It's still quite soft and slow, with quiet drumming throughout, though the addition of some guitar distortion gives the track some edge. It's verging on Zepplin-esque in places, though I'd never liken such a band too closely to the legends of rock. "Go Home" seems to have stolen the riff from "Walking on the Beaches" by The Stranglers. It's the heaviest song on the album but it doesn't stay that way for long.
Some might think that 9 members is a little over-kill. Maybe this is what makes the album somewhat random and jumbled. Ultimately the album is frustrating and messy, not quite sure what it is or what it wants to be and while it grows the more times I hear it, there's also a little voice at the back of my head telling me that once I finish this review, I'll never listen to it again, and it's a voice I believe.
I find that the album is over fairly quickly. Usually this means that the music has simply slipped into some kind of uninspiring background void. Sure, these guys do manage to play; you can't fault the talent. However, it's little bits here, there and everywhere with odd styles, a large variety of instruments and nothing to catch the ear. This band comes close to having something, but then they seem to loose it. Why settle for something like this when you can go out and buy a White Stripes album, the back catalogue of Led Zeppelin and burn any country CDs you find? I think that'd be a better investment.