Album review: SLADE – Alive, Slade In Flame (splatter vinyl)

BMG [Release date 26.11.21]

BMG continue their excellent Slade reissue campaign. The West Midlands glam rock legends had many a hit in the 70s. Fronted by Noddy Holder, they were the face of laddish glam hard rock.

After a difficult start at the turn of the decade, the band broke through with early 70s hits Get Down And Get With It, Coz I Luv You and Look Wot You Dun. They wanted to cement the success with a live album, as while the fourpiece had plenty of energy, everything was turned up to eleven on stage. And what a storming slab of vinyl this is.

A thumping driving rhythm opens as the band kick off with a cover of Ten Years After’s Hear Me Calling. Plenty of fuzz and even more energy, the crowd are stomping and clapping along from the start. Classic Slade follows with In Like A Shot From My Gun, before another cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s Darling Be Home Soon. Side 1 closes with Slade’s own Know Where You Are. A well received rocker.

As is side 2 opener Keep On Rocking, which features Holder’s upper mid range hoarse vocals that helped that distinctive Slade sound. A fine guitar solo in there too. The album closes with an 8 minute raucous cover of Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild.

A classic live album that influenced the likes of Kiss’ Alive set and many more besides. Want something to blow away the cobwebs, this’ll do.

Two studio albums followed in Slayed and Old New Borrowed & Blue, which saw Slade regularly on stage, TV and in the charts, before we get the next reissue here; Slade In Flame. This LP was effectively a soundtrack to the film of the same name and because it was set in the mid 60s, if changed the flow somewhat. But even so, some great music here.

Opener How Does It Feel still sounds classic Slade mixed with a 60s whimsical touch. Them Monkey’s Can’t Swing is more uptempo, and So Far So Good has a good glam edge to a mid paced song. Far Far Away was the lead the single and epitomised the break from the band’s formula. A hit single that remained one of the band’s favourites.

Both albums with sonically take you back to your youth, and with gatefold sleeves replicating the original releases, they look and feel as good as they sound. Now only will releases take you back to your childhood, but the coloured vinyl is a real bonus. The sound quality is excellent. Crank it up. *****

Review by Joe Geesin

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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)