Rating:   3 Ratings     12345  

22-20s 22-20s Astralwerks

      It’s up-tempo, jazzy, free-spirited and full of every little thing that made all the new bands top the charts. They combine it all. And with respectable influences like Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters and equally legendary 1900’s bluesman Skip James, they do an excellent job withholding their end of the bargain by reflecting their idols.

      The band features Martin Trimble (vocals, guitar), Glen Bartup (bass), Charly Coombes (keyboards) and James Irving (drums).

      Many of the tracks either have a great build-up lead-in until the vocals enter, outstanding middletrack solos, or sometimes, both. This is the best blues/rock re-created yet, and to top it off, it’s astonishingly catchy.

      One hit single after the next, it’s no wonder why they’re so popular back home. Once again, England is ahead of us.

      Overseas, current A-sides are ‘Why Don’t You Do It For Me?’, ‘Such A Fool’ and ‘Shoot Your Gun’ and the States seem to be slowly catching on to this Lincolnshire band.

      If you want an entertaining band that’ll have you dancing all night, go see 22-20s. They’ll have you movin’ and shakin’ like you didn’t know you could. They are an absolute fire-starter, with more energy than they can handle and just enough to bring any disconcernable band to its knees.

      There’s none of this poppy 60s music -- this is the gritty vim-and-vigor cutthroat resurgence that bridges the gap of time from when the last outworldy bluesman played his final notes.

      The music is full-throttle, pedal-to-the-medal rock with reason after reason to back their incredibility: blues, rock, folk, jazz and a whole lotta soul.

-Arie Musil 05/21/05