Gird your loins! Swedish cocksure rockers the Electric Boys are back with a brand-new studio album – The Ghost Ward Diaries – which hit the streets worldwide on 23rd November.
You may remember the cheeky little single ‘Dishes’ that the band released last year. Its insanely catchy chorus “I ain’t gonna do your dishes anymore, got my bags packed baby and my feet outside the door” was a persistent earworm that I just couldn’t (and didn’t want to) shake, instantly becoming my favourite song by the Electric Boys since their 1988 testosterone-soaked drooler ‘All Lips ‘n’ Hips’ made a sleaze-encrusted imprint on my heart.
The eagerly anticipated ten-track long-player opens with ‘Hangover In Hanover’, recklessly unleashing a gargantuan burst of high-octane rock and roll fun ‘n’ frolics on the eardrums! Raucous riffs accompany a pedal to the metal pace and witty lyrics, which recount the less sober side of life as a touring band on the road. It’s an impressive start, in which wild, wailing guitars and overdriven rock grooves set the tone for what I’m hoping will be an earth-shattering aural experience.
A classic rock anthem that could have been conceived in the American heartland takes hold in the form of second track, ‘There She Goes Again’, that rides on the momentum of huge, melodic, arena-ready choruses that Swedish rock bands seem to naturally excel at. Scorching guitar solos fan the flames of this ‘80s inspired number, which boasts a wealth of powerhouse hooks to burn. The mood softens, just slightly, with the vibrant love song ‘You Spark My Heart’, paving the way for ‘Love Is A Funny Feeling’ to slather its funkadelic ‘70s groove on the record.
Midway through the record, ‘Gone Gone Gone’ is a power ballad brimming with searing guitars and the feel-good lyrics “Jamming with the angels at the great gig in the sky”, that even the most hardened rocker would be powerless to resist. The track is a tribute to all the great rock legends who have departed this world, but whose legacy lives on. Full-throttle face-melter ‘Swampmotofrog’ (yes, that’s really what it’s called) is a three-minute instrumental cacophony saturated with the band’s quirky humour, which sees amphibian sound effects adorning the beginning and end of the composition!
Of the remaining songs, ‘Rich Man, Poor Man’ stands out for it’s southern, bluesy brilliance, but ‘Knocked Out By Tyson’ may be vying with ‘Hangover In Hanover’ for the title of catchiest song on the album – “That damn woman put a curse on me, I can feel my mojo rising… Lovestruck hard and I went down on my knees like I was knocked out by Tyson”. And just as I’m wondering where the ghosts of The Ghost Ward Diaries have got to, they make a late appearance in the instrumental ending of closer ‘One Of The Fallen Angels’, which is a spookily sweet touch.
Electric Boys really should have been a lot bigger than they are, but never really gained traction on the international stage, which is ultimately where they deserve to be based on the quality of their songwriting and musicianship, not to mention their sheer likeability. Whilst none of the tracks on the new album can quite compete with the likes of ‘Dishes’ or ‘All Lips ‘n’ Hips’ in terms of swagger, sex appeal and downright irresistibility, this is nevertheless a very welcome offering from a band who have succeeded in sparking my heart, once again.
You can watch the music video for new single ‘You Spark My Heart’ here:
Tracklisting:
Hangover In Hannover
There She Goes Again
You Spark My Heart
Love Is A Funny Feeling
Gone Gone Gone
Swampmotofrog
First The Money, Then The Honey
Rich Man, Poor Man
Knocked Out By Tyson
One Of The Fallen Angels
March 2019 UK Tour dates:
15th The Underground, Bradford
16th HRH AOR, Prestatyn
17th The Waterloo, Blackpool
18th Bannermans, Edinburgh
19th Think Tank, Newcastle
20th The Underworld, London
21st The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
22nd The Tivoli, Buckley
23rd The Diamond Rock Club, Ballymena
Electric Boys are:
Conny Bloom – Lead Vocals/Guitars
Franco Santunione – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Andy Christell – Bass/Backing Vocals
Niclas Sigevall – Drums
Jolle Atlagic – Drums
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