Velvet Elvis

The Electric Stars are a wellestablished, four-piece traditional rock band, but not rock in the spandex and hair lacquer American sense. The Stars' roots are unashamedly mid-era Stones, Who, Zeppelin and Kinks; they consummately suck all this in and exhale powerful original tunes. That, coupled with an on-stage look to underline it, kind of indicates why they were adopted by the perennial Mod scene too. Having said that, you'll also hear more than echoes of bands such as The Cult and Happy Mondays and the Soup Dragons swashing about in this, their latest release. The Electric Stars are a touring, gigging, ‘performance' band and their live act is a proper ‘show' which always involves the audience. It's a proper night out – as their gig at a packed 100 Club was testament. As Jay, their front man, told me: “We want our band to entertain, look like rock stars, act like rock stars and have a presence like the icons too!” His statement alone would become the footings for the edifice that is Velvet Elvis. This album has taken years to come to be since Sonic Candy Soul, the Electric Stars' choccy box selection; it's a nod, wink and homage to all the great concept albums gone by. It tells the story of the front man of a band, his life experience, from getting into music, joining a band, making it big, going headlong into hedonism and (amazingly) coming out the other side, not unscathed, but enlightened. The canvas of sound is very broad and accomplished (as you'd expect from the Stars) but refrains from going up its own fundament. It really does tell a story too, and it comes along with a booklet to help the whole journey along. Style and story-wise, think a cross between Stardust and Easy Rider, that's the vibe. Yes, the Mod die-hard element will ask if there's a bit of Quadrophenia in it? Kind of, but it's more Tommy and Ogden's Nut Gone Flake to my senses. The cover imag gery more than flags up what you're to expect t inside and the opening track – Listen This s is Music – is a call to arms, asking the listen ner to ignore all the noise and chatter, wh hether mass media, social media, politica al or whatever. Just listen… THIS is music. Evangelical elements seep the tracks, but whether they are religious or just pointers to your own path, is left up you. Naturally, due to the Stars being based on and influenced by the into ‘greats' there are references to them within the story; Bowie, Dylan… all get a check. The lyrics claim to be able to bring you ‘Solid Gold', and they deliver with a well thought through and intelligently put together album. The outro, Got a Soul, Got a Voice is telling people, no matter who you are, what you're going through, or how your life is – there will be a song for you and when it's found, it'll stay with you for the rest of your life. This album isn't a collection of pop songs, it's a true hark back to a properly crafted and grafted album. Huzzah! Available at www. theelectricstars.com