Label - Wild Kingdom Records
Release Date - 15th July 2022
Words - Chris Fletcher
Four and a half decades is a long time, especially in the music industry where recording techniques and genres develop and evolve at a rapid rate, and trends come and go seemingly overnight. Amidst all this change, Swedish outfit The Boppers have remained constant. Formed in 1977 when punk was taking over the world, the band stubbornly stuck to their brand of fifties style rock n’ roll, their force of will such that they turned this into a success.
‘White Lightning’ sees a band forty-five years into a career that has taken them all over the world and that shows no signs of slowing down. Collaborations with artists such as Sulo and Eva Eastwood offer different flavours to the tunes on offer and ensure this isn’t a one-paced affair.
Opening with a cover of Chris Spedding’s 1975 hit ‘Motorbikin’, the tone is set and we are off on a thirteen-track, forty-one-minute journey that encapsulates the majority of the elements of rock n’ roll and doo-wop. Even punk rock gets a look in as there’s also a cover of Generation X’s ‘King Rocker’, which they have moulded to their own sound. Elsewhere on the record Nicke Andersson from Swedish rock legends The Hellacopters shows up with his guitar to leave his mark on a couple of tracks.
These moments aside, standout tracks here include the title track which really serves to showcase the band’s sound and ‘Keep On Boppin’, which uses piano and horns to add a really authentic sound a la Chuck Berry. Later on in the record, we get the introduction of a fuzzier guitar tone on ‘I Wanna Give’ and a Calypso feel on ‘Embrace The Blue’. It is ‘Callous Rain’ however which is the most complete song on the record, employing a mix of both electric and acoustic guitars to deliver a more sombre tone.
Truth be told this type of music won’t be for everyone, and the throwback nature of the sound may seem dated to some, but if you dig deeper you find that this isn’t a band just rehashing old formulas. Instead, they offer a modern and updated take on a style that underpins a lot of the music we love today. Whether you’re relaxing in the garden with a beer or sitting in a booth at a diner, this is an album with a lot of charm that can really soundtrack your day.
7/10.
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