If during the first couple of songs someone told me I was listening to a recording by the Arctic Monkeys, I would have been inclined to believe them, for the Black Sparrows have a very similar indie-rock n roll vibe going on which initially makes it hard to ignore the comparison – although given how influential the Arctic Monkeys became once they first exploded through our internet screens, it’s no wonder other similar artist have immerged along the way.
Lyrically the Tiskie Tapes is full of descriptive anecdotes and there are plenty of songs about getting wasted and partying hard, the album’s title itself pays reference to a particular brand of Polish lager and “Mandy” clearly isn’t about a lady of the same name, whilst “Queens Head” is more than just a night down the local pub.
It’s not just the partying that takes prominence on the record, but there’s a true anger as “MCC” breaks for the frontman to spit “he’s filthy scum” into the mic and the album comes to an end with a Johnny Cash style acoustic intro on “Exits” along with some rock star guitar solos throughout the closing track.
Just like the aforementioned indie band though there’s also a certain British charm about the Black Sparrows that is likely to appeal to both the mods of the sixties and the punks of the seventies alike, at times the London cockney accent may sound a little forced but it’s still in keeping with what the band are about, whilst musically the guys have produced an album that flows throughout.
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