Quireboys' 'Wardour Street' - Album Review

Given the run which The Quireboys were on between 2013 and 2019, which saw six albums released in seven years, it is amazing to think that it has been five years since we last heard any original material from the British rockers. 2019's Amazing Disgrace (which I reviewed here) was the last album of that largely stellar run - and it turned out to be the last original album from the core of the band which had been in place since 2004's Well Oiled. Whilst bassists and drummers came and went, founding vocalist Spike, classic-era guitarist Guy Griffin, long-time guitarist Paul Guerin, and long-time keyboard player Keith Weir had made up The Quireboys since then - with the band enjoying a fruitful 2010s in terms of album releases and tours. A pandemic-delayed 30th anniversary re-recording of 1990's classic A Bit of What You Fancy from 2021 ended up being the line-up's swansong, though, as in 2022 Spike and the rest of the band went their separate ways. Griffin, Guerin, and Weir attempted to carry on as The Quireboys for a couple of years, releasing the disappointing live album Orchestral Quireboys Live in 2023, but have since decided to rebrand - with an album due for release next year (which, interestingly, had been available for pre-order as a Quireboys album since 2022). Spike clearly was not going to let the band which he formed back in 1984 go, though, and later in 2022 he launched his new Quireboys (minus the 'The', as had been the case in the early days) with a chaotic and memorable show in London where he was joined by some old faces from the past. 2023 was quiet, but this year has seen quite a lot of activity from the band - which culminated in the release of their thirteenth studio album (not including the re-recording of A Bit of What You Fancy) Wardour Street. The band's first without Griffin, and the first since 2001's This Is Rock 'n' Roll to not feature Guerin or Weir, Wardour Street is very much still classic Quireboys - and it also sees the return of some old faces. Spike's right-hand man in this venture seems to be founding bassist Nigel Mogg, who plays on his first Quireboys album since Well Oiled here, whilst founding keyboard player Chris Johnstone and classic-era drummer Rudy Richman both feature for the first time since 1993's Bitter Sweet & Twisted. Rounding out the core band, then, is guitarist and producer Luke Morley (Terraplane; Thunder; The Union) who came on board last year. Spike, Morley, and Mogg now seem to be the mainstays of the band, with Johnstone and Richman contributing when they can - but others also helped out on the album, including Willie Dowling (The Grip, Honeycrack; Sugar Plum Fairies; Jackdaw 4) and Mark Stanway (Magnum; Grand Slam) who also played keyboards. The only slight disappointment, though, is the lack of songs written by the late Guy Bailey - who founded the band with Spike back in 1984. Spike had stated that he had written a number of songs with Bailey before the latter died last year and that he would continue the album which the duo started. None of the songs here are written by Bailey, though, with Morley and Mogg being the main writers alongside Spike. This is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, as the album is strong, but it is a shame that none of those Bailey-penned tracks made the album.

The album is dedicated to Bailey, though, and, despite all the turmoil, it just sounds like The Quireboys. At first I felt that the album was a little soft, and could have done with a couple more rockers, but essentially everything here has now grown on me quite a bit - and it is an album that I have been playing a lot over the past couple of months. There is nothing complicated here, and the album kicks off with the boogie blues single Jeeze Louise. With a Chuck Berry-esque shuffle, bursts of bluesy harmonica, and rollocking barroom piano, Jeeze Louise is an infectious and upbeat rocker in the vein of past classics such as Can't Park Here. The song wears its rock and roll influences on its sleeve - but as Spike always says: "this is rock 'n' roll!"; and it has proved to be a great opening track at the band's shows this year. Morley's years of experience and clear production bring the track to life, his later guitar solo full of character, whilst Spike sounds as good as ever. His raspy voice is powerful throughout the album - and he is perfectly suited for a barrelling rocker such as this, whilst the piano constantly cuts through the mix to create an infectious groove. There is nothing fancy about the song, but the hooky backing vocals and bluesy guitar turns easily lodge in the brain - and the album gets off to a great start. The only song not written by the band, Raining Whiskey, follows. Spike is known for his love of Frankie Miller, and his friendship with the Scottish singer, so the band recorded one of Miller's unreleased tracks - and even used some of Miller's vocals from an old demo to create a duet between him and Spike. Miller has not been able to sing and perform following an aneurysm in 1994, so it is great to hear him again here - even via the past - and his voice mixes well with Spike's as the groovy, mid-paced rocker crawls past. The chorus is one of the album's hookiest moments, with more big piano notes, whilst the lazy guitar chords give the song a perfect loose feel atop Richman's tight drum groove. Morley's solo is busy, bringing some fire to the track later on, but generally the song feels like a rocked up folk/drinking song - which is a perfect fit for Spike and his likeable rockstar persona. The acoustic-led You and I is the first slower track on the album - and it opens with Morley's acoustic guitar chords over which Spike sings. I still feel that the album would have been better if one or two of the slower songs had been replaced with rockers - but quite a few of the more recent Quireboys albums have featured a number of slower songs, and they all end up being memorable after a few listens. There remains a bluesy feel throughout this track as it gets going, too, thanks to the piano melodies which kick in later on and Richman's shuffling drum groove. Mandolin melodies bring oldie Last Time to mind at times, whilst Mogg's walking bassline adds plenty of depth as the whimsical chorus fills the speakers. This is one of the songs which has grown on me quite a lot since first hearing the album, as it felt a little throwaway at first, but it came across well live when I saw the band last month - and Spike's songs always have a way of getting their hooks in eventually thanks to his way of delivering melodies.

A big highlight for me, though, is the Status Quo-esque boogie of I Think I Got It Wrong Again. The song opens slowly, with a grinding bluesy riff and a punchy shuffle, over which Spike soon starts to sing at his gravelly best. It seems as if the song is going to be a tough, slower track - but the intro is just there to deceive, as soon it explodes into a real boogie rocker with some Status Quo chords and plenty more up-tempo, busy piano melodies. The track is not a fast one, but there is a real energy and strut to the song once it gets going - and Spike really cuts through the tough guitar and piano riffing to showcase why he has often been heralded as one of Britain's most underrated rock singers. All of his character comes to light in the slightly faster chorus section, which has subtle backing vocals and plenty of piano to make it sound big, whilst the bluesy guitar soloing later on perfectly suits the song's overall vibe. The more laid back Myrtle Beach is another slower track, but it does not feel like a ballad - with the track instead feeling like another drinking song, albeit this time with a folkier feel. Upbeat acoustic guitar chords and some subtle bluesy leads set the tone early on - and the song just generally sits back on this groove throughout to create a laid back but summery feel over which Spike sings. He has often been good throughout his career about writing storytelling songs, and this one is no different - with stories from the band's early days woven around Morley's bluesy guitar playing and the loose drum groove of Richman. Filled out by piano accents and some fluid bass playing, the track is a feel-good folk anthem that has become a real favourite of mine. Those who like the band at their most snarling, though, will find plenty to like in Happy. The first of two really brash hard rockers, the track is another highlight in my opinion - with Morley's best riff on the album and a sultry blues rock chorus that instantly sticks in the brain. There is nothing slow-burning or ballad-esque about this song, with it instead being a tough-sounding mid-paced rocker with one of the strongest overall grooves on the album - with the interplay between the bluesy piano and the rock guitars being well-struck. For those who like the heavier side of The Quireboys, this song will become an instant favourite - and it certainly shines a light back to the early days when Rolling Stones-esque riffs and even a hint of southern rock made up the core of the band's sound. Slowing things down again, No Honour Amongst Thieves, which was co-written by A Bit of What You Fancy producer and long-time Rod Stewart sideman Jim Cregan, is another acoustic-led piece. Unlike Myrtle Beach, though, No Honour Amongst Thieves feels more like a traditional ballad - with subtle organ backing Morley's acoustic guitars and Spike's voice early on. There is a folky rock side to the song as it gets going, but it always feels quite downbeat and reflective - which brings the best out of Spike vocally. He has always sang songs like this really well, and his delivery here is full of emotion - which is then built on later by a brief piano solo.

Perhaps the only track here which does not really do all much for me, though, is Howlin' Wolf. It presents itself as more of a hard rocker, but it feels a little tame compared to how The Quireboys generally sound when they cut loose. The early opening riff and harmonica bursts have a certain brashness to them, but the song never really lives up to this dirty blues feel. There is a rawness to the production here, but the song feels a little lightweight. I would have preferred it to really rock out, with nastier guitar tones and perhaps some growling organ instead of the piano utilised. Some of the vocal harmonies feel a little messy, too, although I do like Spike's harmonica solo which is something a bit different for the band. This is a strong album overall, with essentially everything having grown on me, but sadly Howlin' Wolf remains a weak link in my opinion. It Ain't Over Now is the last traditional ballad here, with acoustic guitar chords and a hint of piano setting an early tone - as the song builds towards a heartfelt chorus, which is easily the best of the album's slower choruses. Whilst not as powerful as the classic I Don't Love You Anymore, this song is clearly cut from a similar cloth - with an organ-drenched chorus that is filled with Spike's broken-hearted lyrics and some tasteful backing vocals which add a touch of soul. Morley's guitar solo is heartfelt, too, and it is one of his longest guitar showcases on the album. It is full of emotion and lots of tasteful leads which build on Spike's vocal melodies perfectly - and the track has become another real favourite despite it not really connecting with me at first. The second snarling track here is the pointed Like It or Not, which feels like Spike's rebuttal to his former bandmates who thought they could be The Quireboys without him. He states categorially here that he is the band's singer 'like it or not', flaws and all. It is the sort of heart-on-the-sleeve songwriting that we have come to expect from Spike - and it is backed perfectly by some dirty blues riffing and plenty of groove from the rhythm section. Saxophone melodies are tastefully added throughout by Andrew Griffiths - and he even takes a solo later following on from a cutting guitar effort from Morley. There is a soulful edge to the band's harder blues thanks to the saxophone - with another strong chorus and warm organ stabs given the song real character. The album then comes to a close with the darker and slower title track which sounds like nothing they have ever done before. Opening with the voice of former Marquee Club manager Bush Telfer, the smoky, jazzy Wardour Street feels like something Spike could have written at 3am - with Morley's simple acoustic guitar melodies driving everything, whilst organ and more saxophone add plenty of jazz-fuelled character. There are actually shades of Roger Waters' solo work throughout the song, which is not a comparison I ever thought I would make. I think it is the tone of the saxophone throughout which makes the comparison apt - whilst the organ creates an unsettling tone and Spike sings in a slightly half-hearted way which really works. It is a hard song to describe as it is very atypical for the band, but it is a fitting closer with a dark, reflective tone which showcases Spike in a new light. Having somewhat got off the train following all the drama, the shows this year and Wardour Street have me back on board fully. I have been enjoying this album a lot and it continues to grow on me - with the core of Spike, Morley, and Mogg bringing the band nicely into a new era. Whether this current iteration of the band is in it for the long haul remains to be seen - but 2024 has been a great year for them and I hope that there is more to come.

The album was released on 1st November 2024 via Real Vision Records/Cadiz Music & Digital Ltd. Below is the band's promotional video for I Think I Got It Wrong Again.