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Artist: Citizen Charlie |
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Hard
hitting female fronted bands have come into their own over recent years
with Germany being the main export, but the Scandinavian countries have
an ace up their sleeves in Norway’s Citizen Charlie, fronted by the
angst filled vocalist Charlie who gives the male dominated Hard Rock
genre a big two finger salute. To those who say the female form
has no place in this rock n' roll world ... well Charlie would like to
say ... 'UP YOURS'! Which
also just happens to be the title of the bands latest album and what a
ball buster this is. A real gritty slice of ROCK with a capital ARRGGHH!!!. The
album opens up with ‘Until The Day’ and instantly the highly charged
rock n' roll hits the ground running, with Charlie taking the lead as
she delivers that angst filled vocal that has become the trademark sound
of the band. The
hard rock keeps on coming in big chunky waves as the album continues
with ‘All In All’, a real riff spewn assault with a heady bass line
throughout, but it’s the guitars that really shine on this one, that
is as well as Charlie’s outstanding vocals. There
is a touch of old school metal around the guitar work on 'So What To
Do’, this mixed with a big bass and drum sound makes for one hell of a
slice of no nonsense rock. Speaking of old school there is a touch
of 70's Punk (that’s British Punk, none of that US imitation stuff)
about ‘Give It Up’. Imagine The Buzzcocks with a female vocal
and you won’t be far away with this one, then add a splash of free
range fret work and you're rockin’. ‘Out
of this World’ brings back that old school Southern guitar laden hard
rock to the mix, then it’s the title track ‘Up Yours’.
Think a little early DC, or even the modern Airbourne feel, you
know what I mean, hard hitting, ass-kickin’ rock n' roll, good time
boogie rock. The
band isn’t all about old school though, they are about taking that
sound and dragging it kicking and screaming into the now and that is
never more apparent than on the hard edged ‘Watch You Die’.
There are a few old school chords in the mix but they are out numbered
by the sheer intense modern rock vibe, mixed with some sublime almost
choral licks and a damn fine solo mid track. The
band gets a little funky with ‘Don’t Tell Me’ before turning up a
gear or two with the bass ridden ‘So You Think’ and the heavy stoner
vibes of ‘Faith No More’. Then the album comes to an emphatic
close with the excellent ‘Losing’ which rounds of a great album that
sticks to its guns and delivers a real gusty punch and one that shows
Norway can rock with the best of the Scandinavian countries. It
also shows that it's not just Sweden that Rocks, so be prepared for
another Viking invasion, only this time it's Rock n' Roll and not Long
ships. |
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Tracklisting: 1.
Until The Day |
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All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated. |
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