Jono Moulds checks out the new single "Shout It Out" from Shameless for The Rock & Roll Circus.
Shameless is a Hard Rock Glam band formed in the Spring of 1989 by bassist Alexx “Skunk” Michael in Munich, Germany. After a breakup, Michael decided to reform Shameless in 1998 with his friend and guitar player BC. Alexx enlisted help from drummer Eric Singer (KISS, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath), who's introduction to Steve “Sex” Summers (Pretty Boy Floyd) and Stevie Rachelle (Tuff) started a long-lasting musical relationship. Since then, the international outfit has released 7 full length albums and went on numerous to tours.
For “So Good, You Should…”, Michael again teamed up with guitarist partner BC, Charlotte Tybalt, Dennis Post, Stevie Rachelle (Tuff), Frankie Muriel and Tod T Burr to release their first ever covers album which also includes 2 brand-new tracks. Due to the pandemic making in-person studio recording impossible, Shameless recorded the recorded the record at 12 different locations all over the world including Munich, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Copenhagen and Auckland, New
Zealand.
The band already released the single “Live Your Dream” with Charlotte last year in conjunction with Michael's book “Looking Inside: The Stainless Sensation”, a 500 page deluxe bound definitive history of John DeLorean, the DMC 12 and the DeLorean Motor Company.
Charlotte sings 5 of the new tracks plus adding backing vocals on almost all the other tracks. Like on all Shameless releases, Tuff singer Stevie Rachelle, sang on a couple of the songs. Kiss legend Bruce Kulick is featured on a total of 4 songs including their version of the unreleased Gene Simmons song “Love is blind” and the cover of “East Bound And Down” where the band was joined by Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup on vocals. Tracii Guns appears as well on the new release.
Three singles and videos will be released in advance to the album “So Good, You Should” – starting on February 4th with the track “Shout It Out” on February 4th, 2022!
A lone, shrill sounding guitar lick beckons in the opening strains of ‘Shameless’ brand-new single ‘Shout it Out’. There after follows an almighty single strike on the drums, which is quickly followed by a secondary, more classic riff that plays out over that early guitar lick, until this dissipates into the ether, well for a short while, at least.
Before we are introduced formally to the first verse, both guitars are now punching out the main riff, as the drums and bass ‘stagger and crash’ their way into the song. This is climaxes with the scream of a pinched harmonic and ‘Tybalt’ shouting, well …………‘Shout’!!! which makes sense to me!!
After this first outburst, we are well on our way, as the band all lock horns together and we hear them in ‘full-flight’ for the first time. Now, we hear the tempo of the tune, which has a mid/fast pace feel to it. There is an ingenious mix of a lick and riff combo, all the time powered from the back by the heavy sounding drums and bass. All this before the verse takes any form, but it isn’t too long to wait as ‘Tybalt’, who on first impressions, has a strong and raw sounding vocal, breaks her silence with ‘Live in a shack in a one-horse town – your world is getting smaller’
As the first verse unfolds, I’ve picked up that the guitars relinquish quite a lot of those starting riffs, which is a smart move, as this allows for the vocal lines to come to the fore, which inevitably showcases ‘Tybalt’s’ abilities. The band are tight and keep things simple, but certainly never compromise on the singles drive and force.
Just to counteract that last statement, there is a slight change of pace/vibe as we hit the pre-chorus, as guitars ‘pick-out’ some subtle chords and the drums change beat, making it sound like the section is about to ‘slow down’, but this is merely a false dawn, as we are soon back up and running and rumbling toward the chorus.
And so, to the chorus, and as I was half expecting, the initial guitar lick is prominent throughout it, but is wonderfully counteracted by the anthemic lines, as ‘Tybalt’ exclaims ‘Shout -it Out!!! – Woah!!!!!!’ and for brief second I get a fleeting connection to ‘Wild Child by W.A.S.P’ – not sure why, but there we go. There’s also a chorus outro riff, which grabs you and is nicely placed with the structure of the song.
Verse two follows the same pattern as what has come before, but the band are now throwing in some extras for good measure and for me, there’s more licence to have some fun with the song, as
support vocals scream – ‘Where are – where you now!!’ This really is a very catchy tune indeed!!
I’m loving that the band play the chorus twice but change the lyrics and phrasing second time around. It’s those small nuances that gives the song more interest. Well played guys.
After this, there is a ‘grungy’ musical bridge, which was unexpected, but doesn’t ‘upset the apple cart’ and, works a treat. It here that we move into ‘Mötley Crüe’ territory, as there is a barrage of vocals distributed as ‘Shout!!!’ is screamed by all for dear life. Talking of screaming, it’s at this juncture that ‘Tybalt’ then unleashes a beauty. This is the siren call for the solo to commence.
The guitar piece fits the whole feel of the tune, where there he probably hits every string and every fret along the way, to maximum effect.
The song concludes with more of that chorus, which by now, has seriously got to me and it’s going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
‘Shout it out’ has everything an anthemic Rock single, in this genre needs. Big, ballsy production, which have the band sounding just great. Riffs coming at you from everywhere, and a chorus that will just grab from the first time you hear it.
This song is not going to win any prestigious music awards, but that’s not the point. The point is, this does exactly what it says on the tin and sticks it to the man, and then some. Brilliant. Metal up your Ass!!!!
Review by Jono Moulds.
Shameless are:
Vocals: Charlotte Tybalt, Frankie Muriel & Stevie Rachelle + special guest Jaret Reddick from Bowling For Soup
Guitars: Dennis Post & BC + special guests Bruce Kulick, Tracii Guns & Alex Kane
Bass: Alexx Michael
Drums: Tod T Burr & special guest Adam Hamilton
Check out the video for "Shout It Out" :
Web links band:
Website
Facebook
Pre-order the album "So Good, You Should" - HERE!!
Ceri Davies
Presenter and Co-Director
