Gotta Love, Love (Ripped In Two) – Desu Taem (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Savage Retro-Rock. That’s what the blurb says, and, to be honest, as musical monikers go, it pretty much sums up the sonic situation. This is rock ‘n’ roll rather than rock music. The latter is monolithic, intense, solid and earnest, but this leans into the traditions of the former; it has groove and swing there is space for the light to get in, and it demands that you move your feet, raise the rafters, party the night away. That, dear reader, is the difference and don’t let any long-haired kid in a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and an unreadable band logo tell you any different.

It’s also a song full of humour, Shan Greene’s vocal delivery wandering from heartfelt pleas to comic parody, from spoken word narratives to gang sing-alongs, whilst the band groove the night away. It’s a sarcastic look at the exaggeristic, outlandish and absurd ramblings that come from people going through emotionally painful experiences, making fun of those sympathy craving whiners who verbally flop around like a squirrel trying desperately to hold onto life after being run over.

It’s a song that is both deceptively simple yet still echoes with everything that was, is and always will be great about music that has evolved from the rock and roll format. It resonates with the distant sounds of the grooviest twelve-bar boogie and the sleaziest garage rock sound, the punkiest party track to the grittiest mutant blues salvo; it is the last word in rock and roll.

It doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t, no airs, no graces, no pretence, just good-time music delivered via kicking bass riffs leading a driving, punkish tainted sound with some fun and hilarious lyrics on top.

It’s cool; it’s infectious… it’s rock and roll. It’s as simple as that!