Thirty Three Degrees – Thirty Three Degrees (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Coming from New South Wales, though seemingly via the 60’s south and the psychedelic-infused 70’s west coast of the USA, Thirty Three Degrees‘ eponymous album feels like the missing link between John Lee Hooker and Rory Gallagher or perhaps Muddy Waters and the Allman Brothers. And even then somewhere along the line, a detour was made to soak up some Parliament-Funkadelic vibes. Whichever way you look at it the timelines don’t really work. That’s just the way things go.

But what does work is this groovesome album. Place in The Sun is slow-slung and sultry blues, Hit The Ground Running is spacious and funky and The Key is relaxed and wonderfully louche. But, leaving perhaps the best until last, the album signs off with the bundle of energy, swagger and attitude that is No Illusions. Pow!

You could argue that you have heard it all before. I would counter such poorly made accusations with, so what, it’s great music, so what’s wrong with doing it all again. Okay, you might have heard something like this before, the band do wear their influences on their sleeves for all to see, but the quality of the songwriting is such that it more than justifies taking the old southern-fried-blues-funk-mobile out for another fast and furious spin around the block.

Actually, it’s simpler than that. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Never a truer word….