When Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer penned the immortal couplet "the more things change, the more they stay the same" for the opening track of his band's third album I guess he could never in a million years have realised just how prophetic he was being.   Because even though you may be now reading about the news (music or otherwise) on your phone, your tablet or whatever the next whizzy gadget is, if you dared to take a look outside of your virtual cocoon for just a minute or two you might notice that the world hasn't really changed that much in the last thirty odd years, well not as much as the powers that be want you to think it has anyway. The rich get richer while the poor well...you know the rest. The only trouble is does anyone really care anymore? Okay a few people pitch a few tents in protest at capitalism, but who's really challenging the establishment other than these guys? The world needs some real visionaries, revolutionaries maybe, and rock music as always, is the first place we tend to turn.

With their second album 'Noise And Revolution', The Bermondsey Joyriders have hooked into the angst many are feeling right now and produced their own unique vision of the world today via eleven brand new studio tracks all recorded under the direction of Cure and Depeche Mode producer David M Allen.  '77 superheroes Gary Lammin and Marty "Gentleman Jim" Stacey are back boys and girls and this time they've brought not only Rat Scabies along for a South London joyride on the drums but also the legendary ex manager of MC5 and popular beat poet John Sinclair, who provides the between track dialogue that strings the whole project together like Hanna-Barbera doing The Small Faces life story. 

You want a revolution these guys are gonna provide the soundtrack "you dig?"

'At The Outset' the album lures you in with Sinclair and his Sylvester the hepcat drawl before 'Society Is Rapidly Changing' unleashes a tirade of frustration in the shape of some of Gary Lammin's finest songwriting to date.   Played out over a slide driven streetpunk backdrop the story behind why Gary has been prone to playing the odd guerilla gig or two in places that used to once be music venues unfolds in lyrical juxtapositions that leave you wondering whether to laugh or cry.

With the three musicians behind 'Noise And Revolution' part of the folklore of British punk rock, it's cool to see them tipping their collective bowlers to the music that influenced them in 'Right Now'.  A song sewn together with lyrics lifted directly from nearly every classic youth anthem of the Sixties.

"Keep asking questions" Is the message contained within '1977' a tune that reinforces the point that we should all have the to have the balls to say "no" every once in a while and actually mean it. Punk rock was never about spiky hair and ripped clothes it always more about what renegades like John Sinclair and the MC5 stood for, I mean could you imagine the National Guard camped outside Green Day's rehearsal room due to their politics being considered a national threat?

So with that thought still fresh in my mind 'Noise And Revolution' and 'Tru Punk' both steam out of the speakers like the long lost bastard sons of the band's debut album, totally throwing me of course with their Rose Tattoo if Angry had supported Millwall bluster.  At less than two minutes long there's even enough time for a cheeky chappy nod towards 'Withnail & I' that us hardcore Mother Black Cap drinkers simply cannot let go uncredited.

As the album's Sinclair driven narrative goes into meltdown mode (I'm not going to spell it out here as I'll let you enjoy the full experience when you get your copy), we find ourselves entering into the more refined side of The Bermondsey Joyriders sound via the Steve Marriott infused trio of 'Creepy Crawler', 'London Bridge' and 'Proper English'.  These songs are as patriotic as an east end street party and could very easily have fallen off 'Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake', right down to Sinclair's pronunciation of the word TAY, something that has an almost (grown) Unwinese charm about it.

Accelerating into 'Noise And Revolution's' high octane conclusion 'Shakin Leaves' sounds like the music that gets played at my favourite kind of club - one that specialises in a dimly lit dance floor covered in a sticky residue as everyone tries to move their feet to the sound of the latest thang.  Capturing the very essence of this club and then bottling it up for the chorus to 'Rock Star', Lammin once again excels in the simplest of choruses as "champagne, cocaine, rock 'n' roll, it's all the same" gets drilled into your psyche, this is a song that is destined to be played out ad infinitum by your subconscious after only just one listen.

Restoring that underlying Rose Tattoo vibe for 'Rock 'n' Roll Demon' I cannot conclude this review without passing comment on the drumming of one Rat Scabies, and not just on this track but on the whole shebang, he is simply on fire, and along with the production of David M Allen plus the cohesive songwriting of Lammin and Stacey, the added dimension Scabies affords these eleven songs truly makes for a world class product.  It's such a shame the bastard didn't stick around though as he's since been replaced by ex Johnny Thunders drummer Chris Musto for all the band's upcoming shows (click the link below to find out where they are playing).

If the Bermondsey Joyriders' self titled debut album was their musical statement of intent, then 'Noise and Revolution' is their manifesto to take over the world. They just need to get it out there and for people like you and I to buy it, because at this moment in time 'The Truth Walks Alone', but together we can make a difference.

'Noise And Revolution' believe the hype baby.

http://www.thebermondseyjoyriders.co.uk/