WORD OF MOUTH

The Blueskins mean business. Coming out of the traps with their high-octane punked-up blues rock, the band's message seems to be clear: they're here to hit you hard, and salute your soul. Drawing on influences as disparate as The Buzzcocks, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin and The Yardbirds, The Blueskins rip through 2 minute bursts of energetic controlled mayhem. Ryan has a howling voice, and his and Richie's choppy guitar sounds complement the tight backbeat and bass from Paul and Maff respectively. Recorded in Bryn Derwen Studios, with Spacemen 3 veteran Richard Formby at the desk, Word of Mouth recalls some of the most pivotal moments in rock history. "Stupid Ones" borrows its pre-chorus refrain from "Helter Skelter", The Beatles' formative and brutal heavy rock moment, whilst "Change My Mind" chugs and chips along like a long-lost skiffle classic. Despite an obvious love of classic pop, rock and punk, Word of Mouth is as fresh as these four Yorkshiremen's faces. It's a lively, charming record a rough around the edges riot of a time.