The Quireboys (or, to us charmless Yanks, The London Quireboys), are part of some rich British tradition that I would title ‘Drunks With Scarves’. Drinking excessively seems to be some kind of pedigree over there. I mean, we shoot each other, you guys stab each other in the guts, it’s a different vibe.
Dogs D’Amour were the champs, of course, until Tyla sobered up or found God or whatever, and so the Quireboys have stumbled their way to the top of that heap. And they are spectacularly good at it. Lead boozer Spike sounds like Rod Stewart, and his gang of thieves sounds like Exile-era Rolling Stones. All good.
This album was not without its struggles, however. In the rich heritage of two Foghats, Queensrÿches and Ratts, there have been warring factions over the last few years after the entire band unceremoniously left Spike to die on the side of the road. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Those cats changed their name to Black Eyed Sons and have a new album, Cowboys In Pinstripe Suits, hitting the bins in January. This one features a defiant Spike aided by Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and holy smokes, this is good stuff.
Obviously, it’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but if you love this kinda rock’n’roll (guilty as charged), it’s a total jammer. From the slithery, I Think I Got It Wrong Again to the piano-plinking rave-up Jeeze Louise, there is not a second here where you don’t feel you’re at a party where you’ll probably die and get thrown into a dumpster at 3am, but you won’t care one way or the other. I mean, am I nuts? Is this not one of the best bands you’ve ever heard? Not sure how any of us got this old, but I do still believe in them.
Maybe this record will do it? Even the goddamn power ballad on this record, No Honour Among Thieves, feels authentic and important. They are truly one of Britain’s greatest rock’n’roll exports. So here we are. This might be the best record they’ve done since the first one. But I mean, is this what we do? Listen to Rolling Stones rip-offs and then just die? I guess there’s worse ways to go. All that being said, this is a great album. Spike and the boys have nailed it once again.
