With a name like 'Jonny Cola & the A-Grades' if you are anything like me you would be expecting the contents of this review to dissect a release of trashy, punk rock right? Actually not so, a quick YouTube search of the name and you will discover a South-England based band fronted by the flamboyant aforementioned Jonny Cola who specialise in delivering glitter-decorated, party worthy glam rock (see 'This Party is Over'). With the above factors in mind, it is safe to say I was more then surprised to find that this E.P had a different flavour, gone is the glitter replaced with and more introverted musical and lyrical matter.

In the band's press release the title track is described as containing 'initial tense rattles of Placebo-style riffage' and a 'brooding chorus'. This song is filled to the brim with an unobvious sense of tension with anger, which serves it well: in short Jonny and the A Grades are pissed off and they are going to tell us about it in their own unique way. A compelling and yet surprising opening track. The relatively relaxed mood created by the opener is soon shaken up on the second track 'Rain Stopped Play' which, is frantic, racy and certainly packs a tiny although, not entirely memorable punch.

The third track 'Ripples' is very much the jewel in the crown of this release. The song is something of a glam rock epic (think Mott the Hoople doing Guns N' Roses 'Estranged') that, takes the listener on a journey with up, downs and some bloody good musicianship demonstrated as well. The track is littered with a sense of English, working class satire that has been missing arguably since the days of The Kinks and is a tale that really resonates in these current times of constant bad news. I cannot accurately convey how much I have fallen in love with this excellently crafted and piano led tune.

The quirk of this release that I have come to appreciate is its efforts to incorporate different sounds and styles within a framework. The songs are all glam/pop but, they manage to blur the line between genres at times and for this I give them a huge Uber Rock salute. With popular culture and the likes of the X-Factor recycling the same hook and sound over and over again, it's great to see that there are still some out there that are willing to make the effort!

The final track of this release is 'Ship of Fools' (a reworking of the Erasure tune) which, in all honesty falls rather flat on rock n roll- loving ears. I'm not quite sure what this song offers to the release and I'm certainly baffled by the decision to cover it. This song is slow, dreary and although not awful, clearly fools (see what I did there?) short of whatever it's trying to achieve.

In summary, this latest offering from Jonny Cola & The A-Grades offers us moments of brilliance and others that do not quite deliver the potential that is obvious in this band. Despite the occasional negatives, Jonny Cola & The A-Grades are something refreshing with their wonderfully clever lyrics and their memorable hooks.

Ones to watch for the future.

http://www.jonnycolaandtheagrades.net/