LEADED FUEL
"Inhale and Get Pale" (Costa
Ovest; 2008)
Reviewed by Metal Mark
It seems like you can't turn around without running into another glam band from Sweden these days. However, most of those I've heard have been pretty good and these guys from Stockholm are no exception.
They poof their hair, rip up their t-shirts and give themselves names like Iron Kongo (drums) and Dallas Chrome (guitar), yet the important thing is they actually rock. They have a healthy dose of some 1980s bands like Faster Pussycat and Hanoi Rocks, but they also draw on 70s glam, primarily the Stooges, and perhaps they have more of an early punk flavor than some of their peers. Leaded Fuel also sound somewhat like their countrymen Crashdiet.
I loved the vocals of Liz Lascivious who obviously realizes this style of sleaze glam requires more grit than sap and he delivers. The music has some strong rhythms and you generally hear all the instruments which is something a number of bands in the genre miss out on.
I am not certain that Leaded Fuel is doing anything really different than other glam bands today except that they may be a little more consistent. The one thing that strikes me about a lot of these bands emerging from Sweden today is that they seem more intent on having fun than they do in having a hit record and that's exactly the kind of attitude I think the scene needs.
There were times on "Inhale and Get Pale" that I think the band needed to kick the energy level up a bit because they tended to bounce through a song rather than tear into it. Still, they manage to make it interesting and they even hit some unique guitar tones and some truly catchy choruses.
Not a masterpiece, but certainly a decent debut that will likely get even better with repeated plays.
For more information, check out http://www.myspace.com/leadedfuel.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2008 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
