The Struts are a band from Derby which is very strong live, with great audience interaction. The frontman, Luke Spiller, is like a young Mick Jagger, with glittery costumes and make-up, accompanied by ace bass and guitar lines from Jed Elliot and Adam Slack along with a heavy beat from the drummer Gethin Davies.
Their 2014 album, Everybody Wants, is a hard punch from the very beginning, with the first line of the first track, 'Roll Up', being, “I wake up at one, my days just begun, say hello to the sun.”
Similarities
It gives you this feeling of happiness when you're listening, because although you may have no idea of what to expect, the suspense and nature of the hard-punched album can't help but remind you of Bon Scott from AC/DC. This similarity is especially noticeable while watching Luke Spiller on stage during a show. Not only because of his ability to be very direct, but his is also a very genuine approach to the gig unlike many shows nowadays.
Later on in the album, the track 'Kiss This' is an anthem to the end of a relationship and not getting bogged down in the details about it ending. It's the kind of song you would listen to as a pick-me-up when that person leaves you, with a beat that will never leave your head after the gig is done and you're driving home afterward.
'These Times Are Changing', with a steady drum beat, talks about going from nothing to something and how fast it all goes in the music business. The lyrics portray how it was for the band meeting the Rolling Stones, and the big changes that are happening for them currently. “I’ve started at the bottom, I’ve dreamed about the top, I’ve been the man I am and who I‘m not.”
A more personal side
Towards the end of the album, the pace slows down. 'Only Just A Call Away' feels like a time to contemplate personal issues about being away from home. It's one of those songs you can screech passionately into a hairbrush in your bedroom, with a squealing guitar that will leave you humming the tune days later.
The songs have an extra dimension which adds to their appeal. They range between legato and staccato in a few places, with down-to-earth lyrics. Not only are The Struts great on a CD, they are also great live.
These songs sound like they were made to be sang in dimmed dives with sticky floors, falling over people you barely know with drinks being spilt on you. The kind of show you don’t want to look away from for a second in case you miss something.
With witty lyrics and energetic rhythms, Everybody Wants is the perfect album to wake up to. From girls to playing in a band, stadium rock is back, and back very strong.
