Album review: STEAMHAMMER – Wailing Again

MiG records [Release date 30.09.22]

Having just completed an overview of the current “state of play” in rock music for our 20th anniversary I mentioned that there has been a void in recent times allowing old stagers to reform and bagging some of the action that they may not have experienced originally.

And what lands on the desk but Steamhammer. Do you remember them? Their debut came out in 1969 with the opening (and closing) track called ‘Water’ complete with sound effects (perhaps not one to listen to in a drought situation or if miles from a loo) and one of their songs ‘Junior’s Wailing’ was covered by Status Quo in 1970. And that’s about it. (The song appears again here).

Now founder member Martin Pugh and early keyboard player Pete Sears (who, now playing bass, subsequently worked with Rod Stewart and Jefferson Starship) have reunited with drummer John Lingwood and enlisted new vocalist/guitarist Phil Colombotto.

The band’s rhythm and blues roots are well displayed (early on they provided the backing band for Freddie King’s UK tours). There’s a funky undertow to the album and it’s like the early 1970s never went away.

Listen to the insistent groove on ‘Hi Lo Jick Jack Johnny’, ‘Wailing Once Again’, and ‘Fool For You’. The latter is a co-write with original vocalist Kieran White one of several including ‘I Wouldn’t Have Thought’ which first appeared on the 1970 live album ‘Mountains’.

The title track is a great example of this album’s appeal: a rather nice breakdown section attests the musicality and maybe reflects Sears’ jam-band work with Hot Tuna in the 1990s.

‘Man In The Blue Suede Shoes – Megans Song’ has a Jeff Beck ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers’ vibe and is the only instrumental. ’24 Hours’ is a remake of the Eddie Boyd song included on their 1969 debut.

This latest iteration of the band is closer to the bluesier side shown on their first two albums although even on 1969′s ‘MK II’ there were elements of the prog present on the later album ‘Speech’ and the spin-off Armageddon (with Keith Relf). Fans of Tull and Blodwyn Pig during this period will find something of interest.

It may have taken Steamhammer 50 years, but the fact they can re-emerge and produce something as vibrant as ‘Wailing Again’ says perhaps more about the current scene.

Old but not obsolete? ****

Review by David Randall

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)