A
veritable rock legend from they heyday of the 1970s, Stackridge
made a miraculous comeback in 2005 on Angel Air Records and they follow
with an even more brilliant new studio album, released on Helium Records
during the summer of 09, not surprisingly called A Victory
For Common Sense. Although signed by record mogul Seymour Stein
of Sire Records here in the U.S. back in the mid 70s as a progressive
pop/rock band with a die hard contingent of U.S. fans, Stein unfortunately
had bigger fish to fry, eventually moving on to less progressive and
more mainstream artists like Talking Heads and Madonna. Even so, produced
earlier
by Beatles
legend George Martin, Stackridge were typically British and across
the boards brilliant. Whereas The Beatles made their name on the coattails
of rock and roll pioneers like Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Arthur Alexander
and Little Richard, Stackridge were the first post 69 progressive
pop and rock version of what you might today call the Beatles 2.0.
The genius of their work with Sir George and that classic studio sound
comes into focus on what some are calling the finest Stackridge album
ever. Simply put, in this age of computer recording, they dont
make records like A Victory For Common Sense anymore. On their
2009 CD, the core Stackridge axis of Andy Davis, James Warren,
Crun Walter and Mutter Slater are given a fab studio
sheen from ace producer and sound wizard Chris Hughes. Where
as their excellent comeback CD from 2005the aptly titled Sex
And Flagswas
more a collection of new Stackridge and other recent early 2000's
era music, A Victory For Common Sense is freshly glowing and
flowing new musical statement that really sounds like it was crafted
with care in the studio. Kicking off with a blistering, heavy metal
version of the Davis / Warren first post-Stackridge hit, their 1979
Korgis
classic, Boots And Shoes, the nine tracks here gather
a new found wealth memorable music and melodies deeply etched in the
vein of the classic 60s Beatles and 70s Stackridge sound.
Simply a joy to play and play again, A
Victory For Common Sense
might even be called the Stackridge equivalent of Abbey Road,
it's just that good. www.HeliumRecords.co.uk
/ www.Stackridge.net
/ www.avictoryforcommonsense.com