Tremendous – Relentless

This isn’t out and out Glam as I stated in my introduction, but rather that Tremendous have taken their influences and given them a contemporary make over, and it works perfectly.

Written by: Explorer

ARTIST: Tremendous
ALBUM: Relentless
LABEL: Horrendous Records
YEAR: 2020

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

LINEUP: Mark Dudzinski – guitar, vocals * Ryan Jee – bass * Dave Lee – drums

TRACK LISTING: 01 Like Dreamers Do * 02 Open For Closing * 03 Bag Of Nails * 04 Rock N Roll Satellite * 05 Daniela * 06 Take A Good Look At My Good * 07 Heart Sinker * 08 Fightin’ To Lose * 09 Hell Is Only A Blessing Away * 10 Copycat Killer

WEBLINKS: FB Link

Background

Tremendous are very much a new name on the scene. The band has sporadically been releasing a few singles over the past 12 months or so, but here we get their full debut album. A three piece from Birmingham that trade on their (mostly) early 70’s influences such as T.Rex, David Bowie, Slade, Mott The Hoople and a host of others. It’s not full on glam as such but rather a beguiling mixture of modern melodic, driving rock music with Glam sprinkled around its edges.

The Songs

10 songs that all boast a fine ear for melody without scarifying any punch and power. Opener ‘Like Dreamers Do’, rather curiously for an opening track doesn’t come roaring out of the blocks but rather has a low key subtlety to it, not that I’m complaining as it’s a fine piece of melodic jangly rock.

But it’s left up to ‘Open For Closing’ to set the tone and really shows Tremendous’ glam roots with a David Bowie like vocal delivery and guitars that have Mick Ronson written all over them. ‘Bags Of Nails’, an earlier single is a raucous number that fairly steams along. We then get ‘Rock N Roll Satellite’ which again dips its toe back into the early 70’s. Hell, ‘The Spiders from Mars’ the even get a name check and its a wonderfully catchy song complete with slightly campy ‘oohs’ used to maximum effect.

‘Daniela’ is a full throttled rocker that is over far too quickly, and the hypnotic ‘Take A Good Look at My Good’ reminds me of Brit poppers Suede at times, but then Suede themselves had Glam influences within their music so it’s probably not that surprising really. ‘Heart Sinker’ is another fast paced rocker with some NY Dolls/Punk undertones to it. ‘Fightin’ To Lose’ is cut from the same cloth as the previous track and is a punchy affair.

‘Hell Is Only A Blessing Away’ has a vocal delivery very much like the much missed Brian Connolly of Sweet, but that’s where the similarities end as it’s another hardnosed rocker. And finally there’s ‘Copycat Killer’ with its cool ‘shout it out loud’ chorus and the guitars roaring along like Mott the Hoople at their most menacing.

In Summary

Rock music is alive and well, in Birmingham at least. Alongside my other UK glam influenced faves Last Great Dreamers, Tremendous seem to have got the mix right straight of the bat.

This isn’t out and out Glam as I stated in my introduction, but rather the band have taken their influences and given them a contemporary make over, and it works perfectly. To be released on May 15th, through the usual digital outlets, hopefully a bright future awaits the band. This album is definitely an early contender for being in my end of year ‘best of’ list for sure.

Video

Like Dreamers Do (Official Video)

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