Rock Candy Records [release date: 07.10.22]

Ahhh… the sweet smell of excess. In 1977, Ian Hunter’s third solo effort came off the back of two albums that were critical successes, but commercial failures.

Clearly built on strong foundations, Overnight Angels had a lot going for it : Earl Slick on guitar and cowrites; Roy Thomas Baker engineering and producing, and various members of Chicken Shack and Foreigner in the studio band.

The studio sound: It’s as if Baker and Hunter had recruited a bunch of musicians, let them choose their own instruments, given them a quick run through of each song, turned everything up to 11, then recorded the album in one take.
And so a lot of it doesn’t work. But amazingly, a good chunk of it does. Such was the strength of Hunter’s robust songs, and thanks to the professionalism and heavy duty firepower of the studio band, several tracks here truly aspire to be something extraordinary.

The electrifying, breathless opener ‘Golden Opportunity’ launches after a pub rock piano intro, blazing through four and half minutes of popified rock, gathering momentum bar by bar.

Hunter dons his highly entertaining diamond geezer persona for another standout, ‘Justice Of The Peace’, then switches roles and styles for ‘Miss Silver Dime’. It’s a moving piece of composition, unexpectedly elegiac, written with Earl Slick, and is arguably the album’s most memorable track.

The bonus track ‘England Rocks’ might be one of the best songs Hunter has written. Originally a B side, then resurrected as ‘Cleveland Rocks’ for a subsequent album, it has since deservedly elbowed its way into the Ian Hunter Canon.

Elsewhere, at best it’s uneven. But the good stuff, as indicated, is outstanding. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

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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 3 November 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

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