Posthumously released out of the sessions the late Nikki Sudden did for his last two studio albums, 'Treasure Island' and 'Truth Don't Matter', before he was sadly taken from us comes 'Playing With Fire'. Sudden seemed to be in a groove that saw two of his most complete and cohesive pieces of work. He'd also assembled a formidable band and used some fantastic guest musicians like the awesome ivory tinkler Ian McLagan and Mick Taylor as well as old friends like Mr Darrel Bath and long time rock 'n' roller and partner in crime Mr David Kusworth as well as Waterboys Mike Scott and Antony Thistlewaite. 

With albums of this nature you can often get a poor selection of unfinished symphonies and cobbled together pieces of what might have been, but I must admit that the standard of these unused tracks or barely finished pieces is a real treat, often only having guide vocals and completed in one or two takes this is honestly the spirit of real guttural rock 'n' roll. Vibrant and full of life in a strange sort of way, the energy is there for all to hear. Take tracks like 'I Know You' or the ragged glory of 'Don't Look Back'. Having always been a big fan of Sudden through Swell Maps and the Jacobites and an avid collector of all his solo albums, this could be the final piece of his recording life and I'm grateful it's seen the light of day thanks to the good folks at Easy Action and people like John Barry. It's not at all sombre or down although Mr Sudden was a fine exponent of the moody minstrel, visible here on tracks like 'Happy Birthday' and 'Ballad Of The Bellmann Bar' with its obvious guide vocal and humour about drinking Kusworth's booze. 

From the insightful sleeve notes through to the wonderful pictures used in the booklet this really is a bitter sweet release. Great that we have this collection of fifteen songs but ultimately sad that we've lost another great songwriter and performer. From the haunting slide on 'Pirate Girl', the Keef and Ronnie guitar licking of 'Visions Of Sin' or the dirty sax on 'Don't Look Back' right through to the exquisite cover of 'Not That Way Anymore', almost as good as the Stiv Bators original all those years ago. We also get the Sudden treatment to the Iggy Pop classic 'Kill City'. I only wish Sudden were here today and he could have finished off these songs himself and taken them out on the road but some troubadours get taken way too early and, like others before him, we have lost another one too early. To pick a highlight is futile because the last is as good as the next and they all have a quality that many other writers don't hit on a dozen albums let alone one. Poignant and tearful, ragged and upbeat - just some of the emotions Nikki Sudden will take you through on his albums and 'Playing With Fire' is no exception.

To accompany this release Easy Action have copies of Nikki Sudden's 'The Last Bandit : A Rock 'N' Roll Life' autobiography in stock. Another rock 'n' roller book that is just a must-read.

Buy this album, read the sleeve notes and raise a glass of red to the sadly departed talent that was Nikki Sudden, The Last Bandit. God rest his soul!

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