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.
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.
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.
