FIREBIRD/GRAND UNION (Rise Above)

FIREBIRD/GRAND UNION (Rise Above)

First things first.I have never been a fan of FIREBIRD.I have heard all four of their previous albums and
they've been at best dull then after seeing a crackin live set recently I thought I would give em another
go.Glad I did as 'Grand Union' is something of a revelation.
As with all their previous albums FIREBIRD deal in pure 1970s blues rock but unlike their previous output
there is some actual great songs to be had this time round.
Still dipping their toes in the murky waters of CANNED HEAT,FREE,JAMES GANG,RORY GALLAGHER and
HUMBLE PIE (a rousing cover of 'Four Way Creep' included here) 'Grand Union' is as 70's as early pub
closing,brown shag pile carpets,the 3 day week and Big Daddy on the telly (ask yer Dad) but in lesser
hands this sort of thing could sound like any bar band you could see any Sunday afternoon passing the
pint pot for loose change but 'Grand Union' is so full of easy charm and sublime guitar playing from
Bill Steer (Napalm death,Carcass) it's hard not to get swept away by it's musty grooves.
I don't want to sound like one of those boring wankers who prattle on about 'proper music' with songs
that are soaked in oak vats for 20 years to be 'authentic' as this is no nostalgia trip.It's just that FIRE
BIRD wear their well worn influences on their frayed denim sleeves and just wanna blast like it's 1972
all over again.


www.myspace.com/firebirdblues
FIN

Top review, top album. You can add Uriah Heep to the list too. I've been having a bit of a 'Heep revisit recently and Grand Union certainly is in that vein ...