The Beaters Band (The Beatersband Vintage PunkRock'n'Roll) Volume Three
Released November 15, 2022
Reviewed date 6th January 2023 by Ed Razer
The Beaters Band Volume Three is an album of covers in a punk / new wave style whilst retaining each songs 50s / 60s roots. The band hail from Italy and this releases emphasises the band’s goal which is the the modernization of vocal music of the 50's and 60's. They do this by giving the songs new life with a Punk Rock sound while maintaining their classic soul.
The main band members are Donatella Guida - Lead Vocals , guitar backing vocals and Leonardo Serrini - Bass and backing vocals. On this album drum duties are split between Caio Nipi ,Fabrizio Tucci and Alessandro Nello
The Beaters Band have quite a back catalogue and this Volume (Three) follows on from 2020’s second volume of classic covers. The albums are all covers and live up to their goal of Punk Rock N Roll.
Punk is a wide genre and the Beaters Band for me sit in the pop rock / new wave style of the late eighties and nineties. The trick they do pull off is their aim to retain each songs 50s / 60s roots.
So think Joan Jett - I love Rock N Roll, Katrina and the waves - walking on Sunshine with a tinge of the first eurythmics album and a sprinkling of The 4 non blondes.
Review Track by track
Track List
Burning Love - The album kicks off with an Elvis cover and I just want to ride down the highway with the top down and wind in my hair just like I’m in an 80s brat pack movie. Tom Cruise , Meg Ryan, Kevin Bacon and all! Turn it up and push the pedal to the floor!
Be My Baby - This classic Rosettes tune is great from start to finish, powering through all 2:30 mins in a great new wave style and the vocals are fantastic. It’s my favourite track on this album.
Runaway - I wonder and I wonder why she ran away…. Another good version which keeps things simple and to the point.
I only want to be with you - You may have noted earlier my reference to the Eurythmics? Well their first album was a post punk new wave mix and not the electronica that made them famous. They also covered this track and in a very similar vein. Donatella does great job with the vocals and it captures the vibe of the original Dusty Springfield version but also that early Lennox/Stewart magic.
C’mon everybody - Eddie Cochran meets Joan Jett. Great tune …. But I wanted the guitars to be louder!! More like the Sid Vicious version.
Wild Thing - For me the weakest track on the album but we all know the words … wild thing you make everything groovy...
It’s only make believe - A good version of the much covered song, a more sparse sound gives this a more stadium punk feel. More Joan Jett than Bay City Rollers, which is always a good thing in my book.
When you walk in The Room - The album ends with strong vocal performance on the Searchers classic and rounds off a good trip down memory lane and a feeling that a night with the Beaters Band would be a fun one.
Summary There is some really good energy on this album and I can imagine that with several albums of covers and a few Moretti Beers a great deal of fun, singing and dancing would be had at any Beaters gig.
The style and influence of punk rock/ new wave and some of that era’s finest female vocalists works well and it would be good to hear if all that classic influence filtered into some songs of their own in the future.
After listening to this album I spent the next two hours on You Tube listening to Joan Jett, Girlschool and The Cranberries amongst many many others. However I did round off this musical journey with the bands version of Be My Baby! Where’s my hairspray ,shoulder padded jacket and leather trousers…… coz it’s time to party.
Recommendation:
This album is recommended for those who like classic tracks in a new wave style, the tracks are well played and you will be happily singing and nodding along before the first track ends.
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