Bad Touch's 'Bittersweet Satisfaction' - Album Review

If there is one band which the current UK-based boom of bluesy hard rock can be traced back to, then the Norfolk-based five-piece Bad Touch may well be it. I am not exactly sure when they formed, but I first came across them in 2013 when they opened for The Quireboys. They did not have any albums out at that point, and it took me quite a few years to actually get into them, but they seemed different from many of the other young British rock bands around at the time. In 2013, the scene which had been led by Heaven's Basement, Dear Superstar, and others was on its way out. The sleazier, more 1980s-inspried sound which dominated my university years had seemingly burnt itself out - and over the next few years the current scene, which has been received more warmly than the once which preceded it, grew. Bad Touch may seem like veterans at this point, but they have never been fawned over in a way which many of the UK rock bands who have followed them have. This is a real shame as they are a strong band - which I finally learnt when I actually bothered to give them a proper listen. It was in 2018 when I finally came around, after seeing them close a show which I had attended largely to see Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics. By this point I had seen the band supporting others, including The Answer and Skid Row, but it was that 2018 headline show which finally made me sit up and take notice. It perhaps helped that 2018's Shake a Leg had been released by that point, which is likely my favourite of the band's albums to date. Much of the set was taken from it and since that night I have been a fan. I saw them again in 2019, again with The Quireboys, and was also supposed to se them in 2021 but had to bail due to illness. They also released their fourth album, Kiss the Sky (which I reviewed here), in 2020 - so the band have been pretty busy over the past few years. Quite an extensive UK tour is planned for next year, too, which is in support of their fifth album, Bittersweet Satisfaction, which came out earlier in the month. Whilst Bad Touch established their core sound early on, I feel that it has been refined in more recent years. Their first couple of albums, despite containing plenty of strong songs, are on the long side - but from Shake a Leg onwards the band have tightened things up. The newer albums fly by, then, and Bittersweet Satisfaction is no different - clocking in at just over half an hour in length. Some may consider this too short, but given the band's no-nonsense groovy blues rock sound the concise length is appropriate. The album says everything that it needs to say within the 10 songs here and it builds on the good work of the band's last two releases in particular. Fans will know what to expect, but the band's trademark swagger sounds as good as ever - and sticking with the same line-up since the off (bar a brief period when lead guitarist Robert Glendinning was absent) has helped to solidify what makes Bad Touch a strong band.

Nothing here outstays its welcome and the album kicks off with the excellent Slip Away - one of the best tracks here. The opening Stevie Ray Vaughan-esque guitar lead establishes the band's bluesy credentials early on - but the track is much more of a hard rocker when it gets going, with George Drewry's drumming whipping up plenty of energy. Like the previous album, Bob Fridzema (King King) provides the keyboards throughout - and his roaring Hammond organ backs the song nicely. The organ adds a depth to the riffy track, with the verses sounding meaty thanks to the tough riffing of Glendinning and Daniel Seekings - whilst Michael Bailey's bass is surprisingly busy to create additional grooves. Frontman Stevie Westwood sounds as good as ever - adding to the verse grooves and belting out the simple chorus with his usual charismatic charm. The song is a simple one, but its high energy levels, bluesy flourishes, and excellent chorus ensure that it kicks off the album nicely - and I can see the song opening the shows on the band's upcoming tour. This Life is a little more involved, presenting more of a mid-paced groove from the off. Based around a riff which sounds like a warmer take on AC/DC's classic sound, This Life actually reminds me of the rockier end of King King - so it is fitting that Fridzema's Hammond takes on a more prominent role here. His playing backs the tougher riffing nicely - whilst the chorus is a real sing-song moment. Westwood has always written strong chorus melodies and this song is no different. The hooks stick in the brain after only a couple of listens and Drewry's subtle harmonies add depth alongside the growling Hammond. The track reminds me of the more organic moments of the band's past and it is full of excellent melodies. Spend My Days ups the pace somewhat, but the overall sound of the piece is smoother. There is less of a focus on big riffing here, with the song including slower verses which build towards a somewhat busier chorus - which is backed by some subtle guitar melodies. The song has a bit more of a modern sound, then, but I like the melodic guitar approach taken and Westwood's chorus hooks are as memorable as ever. The overall arrangement is a bit more dynamic than elsewhere, too, and this helps to give the album some variety - which is welcome despite the short runtime. The title track follows and it returns the album to a more hard rocking sound - with stop-start riffing creating an infectious verse, whilst the Hammond fills in the gaps. The band often look to create groovy songs and this is a great example of that sound. The verses pulse with this staccato rhythm, whilst the chorus feels more involved - despite the call-and-response vocal approach which is likely to come over really well live. It is another of my favourite pieces on the album and given the simplistic approach taken throughout the inclusion of some soulful harmony vocals during the chorus is welcome. Glendinning's bluesy solo is excellent, too, and it helps to wrap up what is another strong song. Single Nothing Wrong with That is more of a mid-paced boogie track. The snaking groove throughout and the big chorus which includes some gospel-esque elements make the track feel like the album's centrepiece - whilst the whimsical lyrics tap into that off-hand manner of some of the band's older favourites. It is clearly another song made to be heard live and it feels like it is destined to become their 'audience participation' song going forward. The chorus and the overall percussive rhythm gives the song that feel - and it is a feel-good piece with another melodic bluesy solo and plenty of the band's usual charm.

Taste This returns to something a bit more overtly bluesy. The opening riff channels that Vaughan-esque tone hinted at earlier, but the track takes a bit of a darker path overall. This bluesy riffing resurfaces throughout, but the verses in general are slower - with Bailey's bass dominating. As such, there are plenty of grooves throughout - which are aided by the song's very precise pace. The call-and-response vocal approach utilised earlier in the album is used again during the chorus here - although the gospel tones are less prominent. That vibe is somewhat retained, but it has been squeezed through a darker filter - and the track overall feels much more atmospheric as a result. Even's Glendinning's solo feels a bit more cinematic than usual. Tonight is more upbeat and it returns to the band's classic sound. It is a feel-good rocker with a driving opening riff, but the bounce which often rears its head during the band's best tracks is present here. It is a song which is easy on the ear, then, with plenty more washes of Hammond and a few more groove-based moments where the bass is more prominent. Elsewhere, the guitars feel pretty snappy - but their tone is much more melodic which reins in some of the toughness the band can sometimes exhibit. As such, there is a bit of a smoothness present again so in some ways the song feels more classic Bad Touch as a result. Come Back Again slows the pace down, with some bluesy guitar leads setting the tone early on - before a piano-led verse changes tack somewhat. Like Spend My Days, the song sticks to a slower pace throughout - and it has the feel of a ballad, even if it is a bit more 'produced' throughout than some ballads can be. There is a strong piano and Hammond presence, whilst later verses feature wordless harmony vocals to create a bigger sound. Despite the slower pace, then, the song certainly feels quite 'big' production-wise - and it adds a lush sound to the album's second half, which is generally made up of rockier pieces. See It to Believe It returns to the band's core sound and as such is an up-tempo rocker with plenty of bluesy overtones. It may not be the fastest piece, but nevertheless the overall atmosphere has a feel-good vibe to it thanks to the driving guitar riffing and the boogie barroom piano melodies which often surface throughout. It is not one of the album's strongest pieces, and there are other songs in this vein here which are catchier, but nevertheless the song still has a strong vibe throughout. The album then comes to a close with Dizzy for You which is similar to much of the material here - as it creates a feel-good atmosphere thanks to its punchy blues rock sound. Despite this, though, the track builds on some of the more 'produced' slower songs here, and includes a few more cinematic touches which are not always included in the band's rockier pieces. There is a strong use of harmony vocals throughout, which in particular gives the chorus a kick, and the keyboards feel a bit denser here - which ensures that the song feels a bit bigger than most of the others here. This is fitting given that the track is a closer and it ends the fun and bluesy album on a high. Overall, then, Bittersweet Satisfaction is a great example of Bad Touch doing what they do best. It feels like a real exercise in cutting the fat, as each song here is lean and to the point - which I welcome in this era of over-long albums. As such, it is an album for any occasion and Bad Touch in general continue to perfect their particular brand of feel-good rock.

The album was released on 8th December 2023 via Marshall Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Nothing Wrong with That.