Reviewing a band with a bunch of your friends can be a reviewer’s dilemma. Fortunately, the debut from David Delinquent and the IOUs causes no such psychological conflict for yours truly. While the signing to a label was a surprise (which David Delinquent explained on his recent interview with PRUK), it makes more sense when you hear the high-quality production on display throughout the album.
Opener Rocksteady Girl comes bursting out of the gates faster than a Top Gear presenter heading for a crash. The group harmonies on the chorus set a marker for the tone of the album, that is repeated across the subsequent 9 tracks.
Some bands might struggle with such a rambunctious start, but not the IOUs. Instead, they head straight into long-time live favourite Alleycats in Love. Yes, it starts in the same punk vein but soon swivels into an almost psychobilly track with shee-wop-de-wops that wouldn’t have been out of place on early Motown.
While Too Far Gone breezes past with it’s Wildhearts harmonies, it is probably not the strongest track on the album. This is exacerbated but the classic honky-tonk Rock ‘N Roll vibes of Everybody Loves You. This is absolutely accentuated by the excellent Bonnie Ross on sax being given the spotlight for the first time.
From the Small Faces the IOUs then take us to the Big Country indebted Shame of My Youth. As expansive as anything Stuart Adamson produced, it shows the IOUs range and ability to imbue emotion. A perfect track for festivals.
Time of My Life will be more than familiar to those who have seen David Delinquent doing his solo shows. The full band version doesn’t deviate from that it any major way, and it is all the better for that.
Much like Too Far Gone, Nobody Else suffers from the songs it is surrounded by although it has the potential to be that earworm where you spend hours trying to remember where you heard it. By contrast, Hangin’ Out has the IOUs at their sleaziest. A massive dollop of New York Dolls glam until Scott Sweeney’s hardcore bass kicks in mid-song turning it upside down.
Penultimate track, Not A Fan, a PRUK favourite, is where The IOUs return to David Delinquent’s first love, The Wildhearts. A fine precursor to closer Today’s A Drag, a power-pop tour de force that encapsulates everything that Scandal such fun.
Will Scandal change your life? Probably not. Is it a raucous 28 minutes that you will want to revisit time and time again? Absolutely!
Scandal is available for pre-order via 13 Deluxe.
