The Speedways “Talk Of The Town”

Regular readers will already know that we are big fans of The Speedways. Their previous two albums have been great examples of a band nailing the punky power pop sound that we love. Whilst this is great, it always brings the risk of can they actually maintain that great sound.

Opening track “Dead From The Heart Down” immediately puts any of those fears to rest. It’s an absolute power pop gem. Indeed, we’d go as far as to say you’ll struggle to find a better opening song on any album released this year. What’s probably most impressive is that standard is kept going by the brilliant “Secret Secrets”. Those songs along with the likes of “Kiss Me Goodbye” and “Summer’s Over” are examples of how The Speedways perfectly balance a sugary power pop sound with a punky attitude. They’re one of the few bands who can consistently deliver songs which are sweet but not sickly.

This isn’t just a case of the band delivering the same song (no matter how good that song may be!) again and again. They continue to shift the dynamics of their sound to keep things interesting. “Shoulda Known” and “A Song Called Jayne & A Lie Called Love” are wonderful songs that could easily sit on one of Elvis Costello’s masterpiece albums (yes they’re that good). Whilst the pure pop of “A Drop In The Ocean” is a delightful track which recalls the feel of Jellyfish with the grandiose stylings of Cheap Trick. In contrast “Weekend 155” adds a hint of electronica and along with “Talk Of The Town” are songs that show a band that is looking to expand their sound and importantly remain a very contemporary band,

However, it can’t be ignored that The Speedways really do shine in the delivering of great pop tunes with just the right amount of kick.“Strange Love” actually makes us think that we should be billing them as the UK Cheap Trick. Somewhere, in a parallel universe, this is the song that is making the band international superstars. Mind you, the same could also be said about “Monday Was The Start Of the Stars”, yet another glorious track.

The Speedways and this release are something we should really cherish. There are so few bands in the UK even attempting to create this type of music. The fact that they are so brilliant at it is pretty special. We live in the fear that they may be destined to be one of those bands adored by all who discover them but sadly never achieving the mainstream attention they deserve. So make sure that you help them out by buying this album and going out to support them when they play live. They deserve it as this is a definite candidate for album of the year and they have certainly cemented their place as possibly the best power pop band in the UK.