Going public a couple of years ago as support on Wilko Johnson’s thankfully unfinal tour (ERR guitarist Simon Johnson is Wilko’s son), Eight Rounds Rapid proved themselves less of a support act and more of a grenade attack. With David Alexander’s keening, Cockney vocals being reminiscent of a young Mark Perry from ATV barking out seaside Sleaford Mods slogans, and Johnson’s guitar occupying the hinterland between early Jam and early Stones, Eight Rounds Rapid sound like every kind of punk.
New album Objet D’Art carries on where their debut Lossleader left off, with rhythm ’n’ blues being subjected to sneering and thrashing on Bully Boy and the brilliant ranting Ratton, and new levels of subtlety on Johnny Ray and mini-epic Mystery. Sometimes ERR remind you of the Screaming Blue Messiahs (no bad thing), but mostly they remind you of nobody but themselves.
