At the beginning of the year, my colleague reviewed the Quicksand Charlie 3 track CD "Undercover overcoats" and gave it a glowing review, describing it as "a beautifully produced CD that lets you hear the band as real people" (Read the review here). How can I follow that?
Since we last checked them out Ryan St John appears to have been replaced in the line-up by Paul White on Guitar and vocals, although I can find no mention of Ryan St John on the website so read into that what you will (perhaps I was looking in the wrong place)! In fact the text of the site almost seems to have been written as though the band started yesterday with the current line-up, it's like the past has just fallen into the Twilight Zone. The band is now under management from AKO Management, but how has the sound developed over the first year of the twenty-first century?
For this review, I have listened to the 3 track "Pier Pressure" - a joke which will probably go straight over most American listeners heads ("Boardwalk Pressure" doesn't quite have the same ring to it!). This album lists the original line up on the cover and so, to be fair, I have been unable to judge newbie Paul White's guitar work on this occasion. I also gave the original "Undercover overcoats" a listen as a frame of reference.
Track 1, "Say my name", is a highly charged rock piece very much in the seventies-eighties style. In fact, the way the melody suddenly changes half way through from hard-edged rock guitar work to plinky-plonk piano and then into electric guitar a la clapton reminds me of the sort of chameleonic music Bowie and his ilk used to attempt way back in my electric youth!
Track 2, "Pendulum" goes all mellow on us, more in the style T'pau* used to put out if you can remember that far back - straight away, I can see why Tig gave such praise to this group in January: they can genre hop at will, something not many bands can do. How many top name acts can you think of who have sounded exactly the same throughout their career - even the likes of Madonna and Michael Jackson are instantly recognisable whatever they do!!!
Track 3, "Getting us nowhere", is back to the traditional pop again - albeit in a slightly more laid back style. Between the excellent guitar work. the backing track sounds slightly synthesiser based on this one, but that is far from a critisism. On the whole, I was impressed by the quality of all three tracks and will certainly be giving Quicksand Charlie a listen in their new incarnation. However, for the record, out of the two CDs I have listened to I prefer "Undercover overcoats".
It's always a pleasure to follow up on somebody else's review, as it allows me to either give a second opinion or back up what they have said. In this case, I can wholeheartedly recommend Quicksand Charlie to any rockers out there who might need a fix of their favourite sounds. The latest single, "Tequila Mockinbird" (sic) is due for release in September and will no doubt showcase Paul White's talents, so why not check it out?
* A bit of trivia: T'Pau was the high priestess of the Vulcans in Star Trek. So… Carol Decker, closet Trekkie? You decide!
