Being familiar with some of the rougher areas of West London, I was fairly certain I knew what a ‘Chelsea Smile’ was; just think about Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker and his blade widened grin. Some online dictionaries went further, one coming out with “To slice the mouth on either side then kneeing the victim in the groin causing the mouth to tear. Popular in British prison.” Nice, eh?
These particular Chelsea Smiles are a sleaze rock four piece fronted by Todd Youth, ex D Generation and Danzig guitarist. Opener, ‘Take You Away’ is a simple, punky number that sets the tone for the rest of the eponymous album. An in your face tale of boastful lust and sexual prowess, it has simple guitar riffs competing with the vocalist’s sneering lyrics for attention, backed with a confident drum line that sounds as if it was battered from the most minimal of kits. This self confidence and exuberance is soaked through every one of the short, uncomplicated tracks on the album. ‘On The Run’ is an ode to the vocalist’s free and easy rock life; ‘Drowned’ boasts that the band’s best friend is the open highway; and ‘I’m Gone’ complains of the loss of the good times.
Only one of the album’s twelve tracks passes the four minute mark, whilst most barely make three, with guitar solos being simple stripped down affairs, channelling the spirit of the Stooges’ late, lamented, Ron Asheton. The only surprise is the gentle, final track, ‘Broken Lullabies’, a single acoustic guitar backed by a piano, and plaintive lyrics of love and loss, rather then chants of fast living and fun.
This is an album bereft of any pretension, and evokes the sweaty, black stretch denim clad sensibilities of The Ramones. With an extensive forthcoming UK tour opening for Wednesday 13, The Chelsea Smiles should have audiences stamping and pogoing.
http://www.myspace.com/thechelseasmiles
