"Have You Heard About The World?"– The Lost Crusaders (Everlasting Records)
Michael Chandler is born again. For a guy that’s been to the furthest reaches of the burny fire, he’s sounding damn chipper. Having opened a case of cans containing industrial grade whuppass on said demons, I don’t think he’s ever been in better voice recordedwise. And that’s saying something.
Taking a perennial r&b gospel blueprint, he’s rallied a crack squad of volunteers to assemble a rock’n’rollin’, soul salivating, countryfried octophonic spree. In the liners, Mike Edison states that this crew exist to “lead the stranded mojo-hungry hordes out of the barren desert of contemporary “rock” music”. That seems accurate to the nation of understatement.
The music is anything but understated. This 12 chunk, redemptive, righteous barn-storming hymnal is yours live by. If you’re ready to testify then step into the confessional. It’s an all-star cast including wir ain Laura Cantrell taking lead vocals on a couple of tracts. These aren’t tracks, brothers and sisters, these are oozing the kind of energy that ain’t trapped too often these days. These days, the Chandler rasp is prime Doll period Johansen whilst retaining that trademark shout factor. Keith Streng and the Heavy Trash fellas (playing Stereo in Glasgow on September 28th) are also part of the party. The rhythm interplay with the keyboards is mesmerising and could well have you gabbing in tongues out of the traps. Rolling this holy comes from deep within. Chemistry this explosive is destiny, not premeditated. Spiritual to the point of ablaze.
“Whose Name Will I Call?” is like a cool, lost Wizzard stomper and “It Don’t Worry Me” is like a sick twist on something from the Godspell musical. Chandler has put together a revue that will lay its collective sonic hand upon you to cast out any rogue spirits that made you settle for third best. He’s been to the wilderness, did his penance and has come out the other side with some serious fire in that belly.
As visionary things go, this is rabble rousing stuff. Live it’s liable to cure whatever ails anybody anywhere. Preaching it like he feels it, Mike is a bona fide soul survivor. Find The Lost Crusaders and let them in. I’ll leave you with Rev. Edison’s sign off… “Their message is simple – live, breathe, dance, sing, shake. Get with it.”
The LC program is an equal opportunities program. Operators are standing the f-word by.