Rock 'n' Roll Kamikazes, The
My Town
The divine wind is blowing again. This time the Kamikaze is bringing change. Our four heroes have set off on a new path, their feet still shod in rhythm & blues, but this time choosing to grow and mature. The songs are more personal, more critical of modern conformity and social obedience. Some songs are full of irony, others full of pain; from melancholy reflection to sheer hedonism. At times they sing of the fear of the future, but with the guts to face it head on. As Guy Portoghese (1968-2012, sax player with the band) put it, "Rock'n'Roll is a very serious thing", and indeed this album is full of truth. Andy sings in his own Scottish accent instead of the usual American Rock accent adopted by non-American artists the world over. This was a tough challenge - keeping the pathos and soul of rhythm & blues without falling into an abyss of clichs. A challenge gracefully and well and truly overcome. From the distorted dobro, a rural blues sound turned nasty, to the dynamic and unusual rhythms, the songs express an urgency and rebellion, without falling into the trap of 50s nostalgia. The title? My Town. The song itsef sings of the struggle to save "Mutonia", the Italian base of the Mutoid Waste Company, from eviction after 25 years of peaceful and legaL occupation. But it could aso be a song about an Indios village in Brazil or a squatted district in Berlin or Copenhagen! Choose your protest! "My Town" -the home of the Rock'n'Roll Kamikazes!