These days led by Dante and Jools Gizzi, Gun are still probably best known for their 1989 debut album Taking On The World, a creditable, if straight-ish pop-rock record.
There was a bit of funk flexibility about them too, as shown on their 1994 cover of Cameo’s Word Up!, but they never quite lived up to their initial success. Now they’re back with Frantic – their second album with former bassist Dante on vocals – which comes with a bonus gig recorded at King Tut’s Wah Wah Club.
Frantic starts promisingly with the surging gospel chorus of Let It Shine, but quickly falls into a groove of pure denim trad rock that characterises the whole album. One Wrong Turn and Big City are impassioned but, like the artwork, feel as though they come from even earlier in the 80s than their debut.
There’s nothing wrong with playing it straight down the line rock-wise, but if you’re going to, don’t name a track Hold Your Head Up and invite adverse comparisons with Argent’s original. And where did the funk go? Disappointing./o:p
