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As the sleeve notes to this reissue of Atomic Rooster’s 1980 comeback album point out, they’ve always been a difficult band to classify. Rising from the ashes of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, they started life as a post-psych/proto-prog power trio dominated by the late Vincent Crane’s virtuoso Hammond playing, pivoted towards gloomy hard rock on the wonderful Death Walks Behind You, then ended up stuck down a blues-soul blind alley.
But when they reformed in 1980, just in time for the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, their sound had become distinctly metallic – singer/guitarist John Du Cann was now the main writer and his songs were fuelled by a cartoonish punky energy. Thus, Atomic Rooster makes for a tuneful, enjoyable, if not exactly challenging album.
Opener They Took Control Of You sets the tone: a fast, manic romp that’s a lot of headbanging fun. Crane still leans on his trusty Hammond, but Du Cann’s playing is spiky and aggressive, while his voice has transformed into an angry snarl.
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She’s My Woman is a vicious but exciting take on the Bo Diddley school of pub rock, while He Did It Again almost nails a modern AOR vibe, though the organ sound dates it. The sinister In The Shadows is one of the more interesting tracks, a bluesy slow-burn featuring both synth and horror-show keys.
Watch Out! is a hi-energy instrumental that’s a decent showcase for both Crane’s and Du Cann’s chops. Closing ballad Lost In Space is probably the most prog-esque song here, with an effective key change in the chorus.
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There’s a good selection of bonus tracks, including the jerky, punchy groove of single B-side Throw Your Life Away, plus demo versions of the slightly more sophisticated singles the band would go on to record for Polydor – End Of The Day and Play It Again.
There’s also a second CD containing a bootleg-quality live set recorded at the Marquee in November 1980 – featuring the return of Death Walks Behind You drummer Paul Hammond, it draws heavily from that album.
Atomic Rooster is on sale now via Esoteric Recordings.
