GUN - 'Hombres' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. All Fired Up

2. Boys Don't Cry

3. Take Me Back Home

4. Fake Life

5. Falling

6. You Are What I Need

7. Never Enough

8. Don't Hide Your Fears Tonight

9. Lucky Guy

10. A Shift In Time

Deluxe Edition

11. Coming Back To You

12. Wrong To Be Right

13. Pride

Gun are about to release their new album, 'Hombres', this coming Friday. I can still remember when they burst onto the scene back in 1987, was it really that long ago, and were a shot in the arm to what felt like a flagging rock scene. Don’t get me wrong, there were rock bands out there, but poodle rock had made it feel like proper rock was no longer a major thing.

'Better Days' at that time was a breath of fresh air, just a bunch of musicians who clearly loved what they do and wanted to make great music. Over the years the band line up has changed, and the lead singer duties have moved around but what’s not changed is the bands clear love for rocking out and a melody.

This new album, 'Hombres', is probably the freshest and best Gun have sounded in a long time. It’s like there has been a reinvigoration of the band. Interestingly there are also hints of change, signs of experimentation, a suggestion that this is a band who want to push some envelopes and are not just regurgitating the same old stuff.

If you want rock (and which of us doesn’t need a bit in our lives at some point) then this is also a high octane unashamedly rock album. It’s full of foot stomping, air guitar shape throwing, potential anthems but at times also showcases the bands quieter, more introspective side. It feels like a proper rock album that could have been made any time from the 70’s onwards but also totally relevant and fresh.

I think this is an album that Gun can be justifiably proud of, it’s the kind of album to put a smile on your face, make you happy and make you believe, despite the various obituaries, that rock and roll isn’t dead! The rhythm section is tight, the guitars turned up to 11 and the vocals almost soulful in their gruff rock delivery.

Complaints? Concerns? Not with this record. It’s like Gun have found the magic formula for making perfect rock music. If this isn’t a massive hit and the start of a major Gun revival, then there is something wrong with this world.

The band are doing intimate shows in record shops for the launch followed by a tour later this year, this is a collection of songs which are going to sound awesome live. You really need to get yourself tickets, buy yourself the t-shirt and go support one of the best rock bands in the UK right now.

Gun are a band on top of their game, once again, as this record is a total affirmation of that fact, Word Up!