(EMI)
Herald rating: * * *
Review: Russell Baillie
The second album by the young Aussie trio with the revivalist tendencies - rockabilly, ska and various Clash-isms - shows them stretching their stylistic straitjacket while still delivering the hey-ho anthems that made their debut a breakout success on both sides of the Tasman.
Here, they manage to tie their abundant energy and vintage instrumentation - Scott Owen's double-bass and singer-guitarist Chris Cheney's Duane Eddy-by-way-of-AC/DC guitar - to a bunch of songs that show they're capable of more than just the occasional shouty chorus.
Sometimes they are coming on like a back-to-basics version of the aforementioned Angus Young and Co (especially on the punk-paced boogie of Carry Me Home). Fans of Midnight Oil's pre-didgeridoo years will find much to remind them in the wiry, gear-crunching hard rock of the opening Roll On, Read About It, and Peter Garrett's lawyer might well be getting in touch about Cheney's vocal on Silent Victory.
There's a brief swerve into Stray Cats territory - and lyrical tourism - for Riot on Broadway, and their pop-friendliest track, Pictures in the Mirror, could be a Manic Street Preachers tune.
So no, not a lot of points for originality. But quite a lot of proof that the Living End are a scorching wee rock'n'roll band and probably best appreciated live, as they will be on an orientation tour late next month.
<i>The Living End:</i> Roll On
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