The Lucky Strikes “Gabriel, Forgive My 22 Sins”(Stovepony 2011)

There are already a number of real tasty albums lined up for 2011, here’s another one for you add the list. Gabriel, Forgive My 22 Sins is the third album from Southend based Americana blues rockers The Lucky Strikes, the previous albums are very good but this one is a real contender and will floor you with it’s left jab, body shot, right hook and upper cut combo of guitars, fiddle, keyboards and drums.

The bands previous release The Chronicles Of Solomon Quick is a concept album which tells a fictional tale of blues legend Robert Johnson’s demise at the hands of Solomon Quick, the follow up Gabriel…. also takes the concept route this time the story is built on the life of boxer Frankie Valentinez and the battle for his soul, if want the full story let the band give you the low-down by clicking here.

This album is a musical step forward from the previous one and draws inspiration from the wider Americana genre, fusing it the bands blues roots to great affect, there are some great riffs, pounding bass and drum, a little steel and some killer fiddle. The album kicks of with an in your face opener The Boxer, The Bribe and a Father , a track that was featured on the promo CD with this months Uncut it sets the album up perfectly, reverb, vintage rock vocal, bold brass, ragged keys and flying fiddle all feature, check the track out below.

Track two Easily, Easily Until It’s Done throws a Celtic punk angle at you with “Big” Jim Wilson’s fiddle playing taking centre stage, track three The Road starts of oh so quietly with a little steel and a hushed vocal – but you know it’s going to blow up at some point and when it does it doesn’t disappoint, elsewhere on the album the guitars reverb and chime, banjo and fiddle combine and the keyboards provide some lovely touches to the tracks.

Writing credits are split equally between the bands keyboard player Dave Giles and lead vocalist / guitarist Matt Boulter (who fell in with Simone Felice last year playing guitar and lap-steel during The Duke and The King talismans headline appearance at the Green Man Festival), indeed there is something of the Felice Brothers sound on this album.

The Lucky Strikes – The Boxer, The Bribe And A Father

Now I know concept albums can sometimes put folks of, but the tracks on this album stand out on their own as well as collectively, another favourite from the album We are Waves was released as a download only single on iTunes at the end of last year with The Fight as it’s virtual b-side, at the very least get it, but I’d highly recommend you get the album, you can pick it up at Zingg on it’s release later this month.

Originally posted at Beat Surrender