I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Well, actually I didn’t but the whole idea of a rumour mill and only learning about something you feel only you are privy to is tantalising and irresistible, but now my friends it’s time to take a seat and be part of something that has been overlooked, but is very much needed.
Our Mancunian, via Yorkshire cousins Naked Six are here to discuss and debate the ‘Lost Art Of Conversation’. Our technological and computerised lives now lack human contact and engagement, and consequently there is no warmth, no empathy and no connection. The current isolation however has ignited what we are really missing, we yearn for the day we can meet our family/friends, we long for the day we can share food and stories with our loved ones. It will get better; but we need to talk. Strapping himself in the producer hot seat is Thomas Mitchener (Gallows, Frank Carter) and you can tell where the throw you over wall, attitude and attention has come from.
The ‘21st Century Brawl’ is a capsule loaded with explosive powder and handed to us to take as per the doctors – Naked Six in this case – orders. It is music to fight to, throw a few punches to, a soundtrack for the alley cats who come out at night. Seb Byford has the quite hoarsey for coarsey sandpaper voice box, rough around the edges and has a Dogs D’Amour tinge. The ‘Song Of The City’ tells us about ‘ some things in this life you can’t control’, you may not want to hear that, but it’s true. There are some two -minute wonders with a very Sixties vibe too, putting them in the land of The Kinks. The dirty love feel of ‘Sticky Gum’ gets straight to the point and with the hell for leather, tearing up the sidewalk finish, drags you across the tarmac joyfully.
‘Peace By The Pistol’ comprises jangly, twangly strings and at 3.21 there is an extremely sultry saxophone, and as for the ‘demons in my mind’, well I’ve invited them round for dinner. The complex personality of ‘Split’ is wild and dangerous, but still encourages you to take hold of the ‘Poison Apple’ it will leave ‘blood on your hands’, and when you bite down hard, let the toxicity envelope your oesophagus and build a home in the pit of your stomach.
Lay down your arms my friends for the power ballad finale in ‘Outside Looking In’ as it is time to bring everyone around the table, it’s time for a chinwag, a natter, rising to a chuckle and some laughter, it’s time we had this conversation.
Naked Six – Lost Art Of Conversation out now via Silver Lining Music