Last Friday night found me at London's lively Lexington public house and music venue for a gig by Wreckless Eric that was timed to coincide with the release of his brand new album "England Screaming".
While the album may be brand new the songs on it are not. All of them originally appeared on an album called "A Roomful Of Monkeys" that he put out 40 years ago under the name Captains of Industry and on which he was backed by assorted Blockheads. It sunk without a trace and the few that heard it didn't much care for it. Eric has decided the time has come to give the songs another go.
I have never heard "A Roomful of Monkeys" so can't compare the two albums, but if it was half as good as the new album the record-buying public of 1985 were fools to themselves. "England Screaming" is top notch and a worthy successor to "Leisureland" and "Transcience", Eric's previous two albums both of which rank among the high points of his long and illustrious career.
Eric and the band treated us to a few tracks from each of those two albums on Friday as well as running through "England Screaming" in its entirely. It was a great set and I particularly enjoyed the extended freakout version of "Fish Factory" from the new record on which they seemed to be channelling Crazy Horse.
As an extra treat Eric teamed up with his better half, the marvellous Amy Rigby, to open the evening with a selection of songs from the three albums they made together between 2008 and 2012 (all of which can be found on Bandcamp). As always the two of them were utterly charming.
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