BCSWEET - The Greatest Hits of SWEET

        I listened to this new album with great interest.  I'd bought Let's Go a while back and even before I'd played it was a bit worried at the legend stating that the CD "has been recorded in such a way as to emphasize what you would expect to hear at one of B.C. Sweet's live performances".  I took it to mean it would be a bit rough.  Which of course it is in places.  So when I took delivery of the latest offering from the band I was intrigued as to what I would find.  Of course the five piece is now a foursome with sadly no Brian.  Dave Farmer has been replaced by Jerome Marcus, Steve Mulvey has departed, Glen Williams sings lead and takes over keyboards, and Syd Twynham takes over guitar.  But what of the music?
         
      Well it's a hits album!  So haven't we heard it all before?  Well yes and no. Like most of you lot I've bought everything that comes out with a SWEET connection and have several different "Greatest Hits" type albums/Cds plus the demo stuff on Cds like Hellraisers etc., but I have just realized I don't listen to them any more.  Sure I play them, but they have, I'm ashamed to say, become background music.  So I was very surprised to notice that when I put on BCSWEET I was actually listening to the tracks.  You can't help, but compare to the originals that are stored in your brain and I was frequently thinking "Hmm that intro was different."  Or "That harmony has the top end missing."  "That solo isn't exactly the same."  And when you've done that to every track you then have to play it again, because you realize that it wasn't half bad!  Everything is far tighter.  The harmonies stick well within their ranges - so there's none of the "squealing" you sometimes get from bands who think that a Sweet harmony means you have to have your equipment in a vice.  Jerome has proven to be a great live drummer, and he records well too.  Dave Glover is clearly enjoying himself and the slappybass at the start of Poppa Joe is good fun.  Glen is good on lead vocs, and as the band adopt a clear "Tribute" look and style of the mid to late seventies Sweet his "look" fits the bill.  The guitars are fine with everyone except Jerome getting a shot on rhythm and lead.

        Back in the seventies there were those Top of the Pops albums with versions of the hits and we all cringed and wondered who in their right minds bought them.  So is the new BCSWEET Cd in that category?  I don't think so.  The Pops recordings were knocked out by session men with no love for the songs they were performing.  These tracks have been practiced time and again in front of audiences all over Britain over the past few years.  They have developed personal touches, whilst keeping song elements that we expect (All the vocal hooks pay respect to the master craftsman Stevie Priest and the cash register and synth are in Action for example).  I know some purists will say don't touch it!  But even those fans will benefit from a listen if it only serves, as I said at the start, to make them listen to the hits afresh.