ANDY MCCOY – 21st Century Rocks (Album Review)

Andy McCoy - 21st Century Rocks

Rocks

Andy McCoy is, obviously, most well known for his association with the legendary Hanoi Rocks for whom he was the lead guitarist and main songwriter. However, that is only part of a remarkable career where he has been on the go since 1977.

21st Century Rocks represents a quick-fire return to action following 2018’s Soul Satisfaction which makes you feel that McCoy is happy in his work and has plenty to give the music community as a whole, not just the rock one.

Hanoi Rocks was underpinned by mesmeric rhythm and melody with a sleazy feel and these themes are never far away from McCoy’s solo efforts. 

With his 60-a-day vocals taking us through various tales in various styles 21st Century Rocks is a real treat.

21st Century

With the opening coming in the form of a brief blast of bhangra on the title track you know you are in for a different ride. Having said that, the bhangra didn’t last. It was replaced with heavy, crunching riffs and develops into the perfect song to start us off.

Every track is such a singalong toe-tapathon you can’t help but join in and “Undertow” and “Seven Seas” continue the feelgood vibe. There’s so much going on with keyboards and saxophones keeping it all rattling on at a fair lick.

“Batteram” sees Andy McCoy’s vocals get even sleazier, with whiskey added to the cigarettes. In some parts, he sounds like he can’t be arsed to get the proper words out. He can, of course, and it’s a belter of a track.

Get your castanets out and flamenco like there’s no tomorrow on “Maria, Maria”, a Spanish influenced ode to, well, Maria, with added Spanish lyrics. Quality.

Andy McCoy
Pic courtesy Tomi Wahlroos

McCoy whips out the slide with great effect on “Bible and a Gun” before following it up with the slightly (only slightly, mind you) more introspective “The Hunger” which itself is interspersed with some funky riffs.

With “Give a Minute, Steal a Year” we have something which is the nearest thing to a ballad we get on 21st Century Rocks. It is a beautiful hypnotic track layered with piano and acoustics.

“Love It Loud” starts out in a bit of a reggae style with McCoy even singing with a Jamaican slant. It soon moves on to a more rocking track (thankfully) but it shows his willingness to try anything.

Satisfaction

There’s not a great deal of difference in “Soul Satisfaction Mix” to the version which appeared on last year’s Soul Satisfaction album. It begs the question “Why?”, but really, who cares, it’s a decent song.

Andy McCoy goes all Springsteen (but don’t hold it against him) on “Gimme Time” which has the sax opening of “Hungry Heart” and much of the pace and feel too.

It’s straight-up, balls-out, rock ‘n’ roll to finish the album with “This is Rock ‘n’ Roll”. McCoy pushes himself to the limit vocally on this one. His solo is top drawer too in what is a great rockin’ finish to the album.

Top form

If you like sleaze rock with an intelligence rarely seen in the genre then 21st Century Rocks is highly recommended with Andy McCoy on top form.

21st Century Rocks is out now on Ainoa.

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Sparky

Also, find more of my CGCM reviews and photos here: Sparky

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