Sunday 29 March 2009

Review - The Cess Allan Band - History Books

The Cess Allan Band - History Books

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7 out of 10

Watford's stomping The Cess Allan Band bring you this 6 chapter disc "History Books" and it's a story with two parts. Chapter One of "History Books" starts off with a foot stomping sea shanty rendition of The Supreme's "Baby Love" which leads us into gang chant infused "Stay Inside". Nick Read's (Read? Is there a theme here?) cheeky-chappy voice lends a shambolic quality that gets in the listener's face and buys him a drink. I'm sure that this and the other rabble rouser of a song "The Devil I Know" with a great kazoo solo go down a storm live.

I then turn the page.The other chapter of the story is a 2 part dreary heartbreaker, which could be a great present for mother's day. The fact that it needed to be dragged out to 2 separate sections is questionable.

The Epilogue to the story is the final track "Casablanca" - which starts off like a Damien Rice cover but thankfully the big guns come out and the track turns into a euphoric call to arms. The strings come in and stamp "Classic" on it in big red letters. The only problem is that it drops back into housewife favourite territory and fades out.

So a literary comparison for The Cess Allan Band can be found in one of the UK's longest running journals, a favourite of mine; the Beano. You see, some tracks I can see Dennis the Menace being into, music to steal sweets to! Unfortunately it all goes a bit Walter the Softy at times and no one likes the softys except their Mum's.

Get your pea shooters and catapults and start causing mayhem instead!

Listen: www.myspace.com/thecessallanband

Tracklist:
1. Baby Love
2. Stay Inside
3. Are You Going To Come Back To The Old House?
4. The Devil I Know
5. Are You Going To Come Back To The Old House? Part Two
6. "Casablanca"

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