The Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather Album Review

The Rumble Strips
Girls and Weather
Album Review

It's a pity that an album as made for summer as this has to come out in 2007, a summer that will be remembered for its biblical downpours rather than its heat waves. Girls and (appropriately enough) Weather is a joyous romp of an album that seems to whiz by in minutes, with not one ounce of fat to slow proceedings.

Virtually every track on here is a 'Geno' era Dexy's style stomper, complete with frenetic brash flourishes and singer Charlie Waller's manic yelps. 'Girls and Boys in Love' is a joyful Northern Soul anthem, whereas album closer 'Hands' is a hard-rocking, multi-faceted beast of a track, and hints at a more ambitious sound for their next record.

With all the tracks speeding by at such a breakneck pace, it would be easy to miss out on some of the more layered moments, like 'Clouds' and the lyrically sombre 'Time', which makes Girls and Weather an album that rewards repeat listens, and serves as an excellent introduction to a great 'new' band.

Ben Davis