Album review: SLIM CHANCE – New Cross Road

Fishpool Records [Release date 18.01.19]

Slim Chance were the backing band to former Small Faces and Faces member Ronnie Lane (who died aged only 51 in 1997), with three members in the current line-up of Slim Chance featured on those albums made in the 1970′s. The three are Steve Bingham (bass, vocals), Charlie Hart (vocals, fiddle, accordion, keys) and Steve Simpson (vocals, guitar, mandolin, fiddle), who are joined by drummer Brendan O’Neill (Rory Gallagher/Nine Below Zero), Billy Nicholls on vocals and acoustic guitar and keyboards player Geraint Watkins (Nick Lowe/Van Morrison).

‘New Cross Road’ is the band’s third album since reuniting 2010, and like the previous album Slim Chance have recorded a mix of new songs and ones penned by Ronnie Lane back in the 1970′s.

Opening with the Cajun boogie of ‘Let’s Go Home’, one of the five new songs on the album, it is a song to put a smile on your face sung by Geraint Watkins and sounding not unlike Ry Cooder on his ‘Get Rhythm’ album. ‘Flossie Lane’ is a tribute to the oldest pub landlady in England, again it has that boogie feel in the sound.

The band’s reworking of Ronnie Lane’s ‘Chicken Wired’ is great fun, from the singing of Steve Simpson and his chicken impressions(!), through to the chicken scratch guitar and organ playing of Geraint Watkins. The cover of the Who’s ‘Squeezebox’ is simply wonderful, with Simpson sounding uncannily like Roger Daltrey at times.

One of those albums that you play and it lifts your spirits, where you think the band must have had great fun making it. Slim Chance are helping keep the music of Ronnie Lane alive and giving it a little magic of their own. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

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

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 3 November 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 29 October 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 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)