Jerzey Street Band - Breaking Radio Silence (self-release)

There's always been a healthy interest by UK bands for the rock sound produced by their counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic (and vice versa to some extent), with classic examples being Matthews' Southern Comfort and Cochise through to current day exponents such as Two Fingers of Firewater and Ahab.

Joining these ranks are the seven-piece Jerzey Street Band, who take their name from a street in their native Manchester as opposed to that 'z' being being an Americanism on a computer spell checker! They have obviously absorbed a lot of musical influences and interests, listened and learned, then arrived at just the right sound for themselves. Support spots on UK tours with visitors from the States like Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes will have given them the right sort of exposure and further inspiration.

The songs on their début album pour out warm layers of sound based on a raft of keyboard phrasing, guitars with just the right degree of jangle, subtle pedal steel interjections, some 'down-home' blues harp playing and a rock solid rhythm section. Songwriter and vocalist Dave Wrobel has a natural voice which is preferable to someone attempting to sound like they are from the US and he sounds comfortably at ease on 'take-it-easy' ballads through to out-and-out rockers.

All the elements have been combined to produce a dozen songs that are easily accessible and reveal a reassuringly strong level of confidence in their chosen musical path. 'Mersey Angel' is a laid back love song showing their UK/US roots, while 'Hey, I'm Over Here' unfolds something like an American cousin of 'Up The Junction'.

Top track is 'Rebels', where the lyrics reveal: “I heard Whiskeytown this morning, but it does not sound the same...” Life does not get any sadder than that!