Steve Drewett
The Jenga Society
Cruel Binary
With a history of music between us, playing for Steve and listening for me, it is hard to be objective about this release. I wrote to Steve over three decades ago trying to get his band of the time over to Ireland to play some gigs. His band were the Newtown Neurotics and he was going to travel over with Attilla THe Stockbroker. We swapped missives but eventually he decided that the but ferry costs would beat us. I had been listening to the band since their debut Beggars Can Be Choosers album which followed a couple of great 7″s. The sound was a clash of punk and soul bits and had me hooked as a teenager. Every track carried a message, they sang of a world where the general populace were being beaten down but we weren’t gonna be beaten, no way… only short term losses by ferry prices would be contemplated
And here we are, 15 years into the 21st Century and neo-liberalism grew from the Tory roots and is flourishing but we are still not contemplating defeat. We will not be beaten down is still being sung but so are tales of love and reflection.
This is a solo record, acoustic warblings and to be honest they are not fully suited to a voice that has led protest songs for many years. I keep expecting a drum beat to kick in with bass and electric guitar. Steves acoustic has the treble turned up and unfortunately, for me, I wish it would be turned down. If I had of been a soldier in the 80’s then Steve Drewett would have been my Sergeant Major – I feel like I’m a deserter now – a traitor by not glorifying in this record.
I saw the Neurotics earlier this year and those songs still make the hairs on my neck stand up, still as majic and inspirational as ever but sometimes you need to use the weapons you are best at and these weapons should be plugged in for this man.
If you haven’t heard the Neurotics or listened to them in a while please make up for the loss by seeking them out
niallhope
