Ming City Rockers “S/T”

Unusually, we’re a bit late on the scene in reviewing this release from The Ming City Rockers. However, we were blown away by their set at Secret Garden Party (see the review here https://thesoulofaclown.com/2015/07/29/secret-garden-party-abbots-ripton-23rd-26th-july-2015/).Having seen a band who at a very raucous and hedonistic festival were asked to turn the sound down on numerous occasions, we knew we had to review their album.

It can’t be ignored that image and style plays a big part with this band, they are just pure punk /glam rock n roll. It’s a style which perfectly matches their sound as demonstrated right from the off with “I Wanna Get Out Of Here, But I Can’t Take You Anywhere”. Songs like that and “I Don’t Like You” are just punk n roll songs, all low strung guitars, shouty vocals and attitude. Whilst, as suggested by it’s title, “Twist It” is basically a dirty, rock n roll song with handclaps and a bit of added sleaze.

The main struggle the band may have is that they fit between two different genres. Songs like “No Friend Of Mine” and “Sex Audio” have a scuzzy indie feel which could see them catching the coat tails of the Libertines. (Although, the reality is that you sense these guys are actually far more debaucherous than the pantomime shtick of that press adored band). In contrast, “She’s A Wrong Un” is really just punk, whilst “Chick & The Motherfuckers” and “You’re Always Trying Too Hard” owe far more to the glam metal of the likes of Motley Crue. Although we can only assume that the Beastie Boys haven’t heard “Rosetta” as it blatantly steals the riff from ‘Fight For Your Right To Party’!!

On the whole though all that is really irrelevant. As aptly shown by final track “Get Outta Your Head”, this band is all about partying and having fun. They’re not a band that need to be (or we presume want to be) analysed or assessed. They’re a scuzzy rock n roll band who want to enjoy themselves and provide some escape to their fans from their mundane, everyday lives. Sometime you just need a shot of dirty rock n roll and The Ming City Rockers deliver that in spades.