Review by Rob Broom for MPM
Back in the early 1970s the Sweet were often a feature of BBC TVs ‘Top Of The Pops’ and along with Slade, T.Rex and a host of other bands, were an introduction to the world of rock for many teenagers.
Sweet, with their glam, near androgynous look, certainly caught your attention as their big hits pumped out of the TV. Sweets look and sound certainly would have been an inspiration for the likes of Kiss, Motley Crue and others.
Fast forward into the late seventies and beyond, and Sweet were changing line ups, breaking up and then mourning the passing of band mates. Guitarist Andy Scott kept the band name going and by the time 2019 arrived things were looking good for the revitalised band. Then COVID arrived and our world changed.
To keep the momentum going, Sweet elected to record an album of Sweet classics. Despite the lockdown challenges the band achieved the desired goal and the result is ‘Isolation Boulevard’.
The album was released in 2020, but according to the press release has become ‘difficult to obtain’ and has been reissued.
So, how do these 2020 ‘new’ versions stand up against the originals, especially when many of them were huge hits?
Well, that’s a good question and armed with my copy of ‘Sweet – the Ultimate Collection’ for comparison here we go with the review.
The album contains twelve songs and proceedings kick off with one of my personal favourite Sweet songs ‘Fox On The Run’. What becomes instantly apparent is that vocalist Paul Manzi has an excellent voice that compares favourably to original singer Brian Connelly (yet is distinct enough to be different) and no doubt assisted by some studio magic the whole band can hit those fantastic harmonies that characterised many of the Sweet hits.
However, what also is highlighted is that this is a maturer and harder Sweet than the original band. To quote the next song they ‘Still Got The Rock’ and that is good to know!
Following ‘Still Got The Rock’ we get two more chart hits ‘Action’ and ‘Love is Like Oxygen’. The latter really is a brilliant slower paced song, while ‘Action’ pumps along with the rhythm section of Les Small on bass and Bruce Bisland on drums holding a pounding beat while Andy Scott rips it up on guitar!
There’s absolutely no let up as fifth cut is the blistering ‘Hellraiser’. This version really leaves you in no doubt as to the power of this revitalised Sweet lineup. Everything is turned up to eleven – play it loud and scream along!
Deeper cuts ‘The Six Teens’ and ‘Set Me Free’ are either side of another big hit, the tough sounding singalong ‘Blockbuster’. Both ‘The Six Teens’ and ‘Set Me Free’ clock in at well over 4 minutes apiece, showcasing Sweets talent for creating more than just some 3 minute pop rock hits. There is a real urgency to ‘Set Me Free’ and the driving pace is kept up with the stratospheric ‘Teenage Rampage’ – yet another one of the fantastic hits!
Next up we have ‘Turn It Down’, a song title many of us will appreciate from our younger days when getting time on the family record player was a privilege usually gained by doing chores at home (well it was for me until I had saved up and bought my own stereo – but I still got told to turn it down!). It is a simple piece of rock that rolls along with some fun in the lyrics.
‘New York Groove’ is the penultimate song on the album. Now I must say I have not heard another Sweet version of this song, and am really only familiar with the solo version released by Ace Frehley of Kiss (which I like). What I can however confirm is that this is an absolutely killer rendition of the song. It almost makes this album worth buying just to get this one tune, however you are getting an absolute fistful of value as it is!
The timeless ‘Ballroom Blitz’ finishes up the album. Possibly my favourite Sweet song. The song has been covered by among others the Damned with Lemmy on bass and this new version of ‘Ballroom Blitz’ rumbles along full of fun, passion and fury in equal measure. It is an excellent way to wrap up the album.
I really enjoyed listening to ‘Isolation Boulevard’. Whilst it took me back a few years, it was also pleasing to hear that the songs have really stood up to the test of time. There is a much harder edge to these new versions of the songs when compared to the originals, but that does not detract or minimise the quality, which is backed up by some excellent musicianship and vocal performances. The band have upgraded the sound, but retained the vitality and honoured all the songs heritage and the bands legacy.
If you liked Sweet back in the day or simply want to find out more about the band this album is great way to start exploring as it’s a modern update with bags of energy and excitement. I should imagine the band being able to really nail these live and will certainly be looking out for live dates near me.
In conclusion, ‘Isolation Boulevard’ is essential for your collection, it is the past brought screaming and kicking bang up to date and rocks hard – go buy it now to find out for yourself how good it is.
MORE INFO:
www.thesweet.com
www.metalville.de
www.facebook.com/metalville
