The return of Chagall Guevara after a rather long break pays dividends.

Release Date: 1st July 2022

Label: Splint Entertainment

Format: digital / CD

The band named after Marc Chagall and Che Guevara – there’s a surprise – release their first studio recording for 31 years! You could smile at the thought that it knocks the glacial release schedules of Peter Gabriel and Tool out of the park.

Resurrection #9 is a hearty means by which to welcome back the band. A track that gives plenty of scope to anticipate what’s to come in the first couple of songs with thumping rock vying with frantic new wavey cum punk guitar jangle last heard in the early days of REM. It may be me but it’s not beyond the realms of the imagination to hear Steven Tyler drawling all over this. That’s before we get a hint of the Stones with the signature riffing that heads Surrender – “surrender everything like it was no threat” – and the strut and swagger are in full flow. Confirmation comes in the ragged glory of the Crazy Horse-esque Goldfingers, straight from the garage.

An early contender for top track is the manic bluegrass Still Know Your Number By Heart that merges an accelerated Devil Went Down To Georgia tempo and Rhinestone Cowboy melody. The standard banjo replaced with electric guitar played in a banjo style, it’s a feelgood top tune that showcases heartbreak with a vengeance. Brilliant stuff. The raw blues opening passage of the closing number, Treasure Of The Broken Land, evolves into something that sounds akin to Gong doing George Harrison’s It’s All Too Much.

And despite all the inspirations and influences noted, Chagall Guevara have their own personal signature to sprinkle on top. All in all, a guilt free trip that’s a bunch of fun and presses the right buttons.

Here’s Resurrection #9 from the album:

Chagall Guevara online: Website / Facebook / Bandcamp / Instagram / Youtube

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