Seriously, I absolutely love the 80’s and 90’s rock and roll music. I know it may sound cliché, but growing up in that period, I was raised on the diet of heavy metal, hard rock, pudel (hair) metal and glam metal bands such as White Snake, Poison, Skid Row, Cinderella, Ratt, Twister Sister, early Bon Jovi. Removing the stinking attitudes of the all-male bands towards female fans and their toxic masculinity, we are left with a huge bag of well-written hits that never went out of fashion. The recent success of the 80’s inspired TV series and films (Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, Top Gun: Maverick) is introducing a new generation of kids to those songs and I’m glad to see that we have a small resurgence of glam among indie bands as well. Continental Lovers newest single “Wedding Song” is a bit of a nostalgia trip but it’s a fantastic ride you cannot miss.
Official bio: Continental Lovers are a Nottingham based four-piece consisting of Joe Maddox (lead and background vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, percussion), Rokket R Rik (drums, percussion), Graham Jones (lead guitar) and Debbie Dee (bass). Since Debbie is currently on maternity leave, by Keri K Sinn from Todd Michaels & the Screamin’ Hearts is temporarily filling the role. Inspired by Ramones, Cheap Trick, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, the band plays no fillers but all-trash glam punk rock. No write hooks, in and out’s, no messing about. Their debut single, “Really Doesn’t Matter” hit the airwaves in March 2022, followed by EP, “Dale Arden Vs the World” in July 2022 and another single, “The Girl” in October 2022. Additionally, the EP was physically released on SNAP! Records in Spain in December 2022. Continental Lovers has aired on Sirius FM (USA), Hard Rock Hell Radio, Total Rock, and RTVE-Radio 3 (Spain). They have been playlisted in over 30 countries and secured a full-page feature in “Vive Le Rock” Magazine in the December 2022 issue. Their newest single “Wedding Song” was released on 26th of February 2023.
Single cover
If done well, classic rock music can be an enjoyable, mood uplifting experience. It’s hard to reinvent the wheel but without repetition and a bit of originality, a band can come up with something that will set the hearts of old rockers aflame again. Greeta Van Fleet are one example of things done horribly wrong, yet Continental Lovers seem to be doing something right. Their previous singles had more of the Southern/All-American feeling in them (The Georgia Satellites, mid 80’s Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, early The Black Crows) but “Wedding Song” rediscovers their English roots. There are a lot of T Rex, Slade and Sweet in it, the vocal harmonies are evidently Wizzard inspired yet the influences are not bothering the listener. They are there in the background, quietly playing their part while we are enjoying the song. When the Darkness became huge at the beginning of 2000’s with their glam infused “Permission of Land” debut album, they were rightfully criticized for being too focussed on recreating the 70’s sound, despite their massive commercial success. Reviewers wrote that there was little authenticity in what the band had to offer, with their music sounding fake and phoney. Continental Lovers are not discovering America with “Wedding Song” but at least they can sleep well knowing that I really enjoyed their song.
And there is a lot to enjoy here. The track is 3 minutes and 19 seconds long ode to the old rock and roll times. Mid-tempo, with a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, Hammond-like organs in the choruses, well defined structure and an obligatory guitar solo. You can easily guess this is a song about heartbreak and the ending of a romantic relationship. Again, there is no revolution here but nobody is expecting it. What we get is a fantastically composed, very well produced track that is super radio friendly, easily memorable and after two or three listens feels like an old friend. And this is the magic of this song.
Continental Lovers (picture from the band’s archives)
Continental Lovers are not here to surprise anybody or redefined rock music. They are here to use something that we all know quite well to tell a story about their lives. And the listeners will automatically understand the message, this song could well be about any of us. We all know the pain, the hurt when relationships end, it’s an universal feeling that breaks cultures and language barriers. Everyone has fallen for somebody that was not right for us and we have been warned by our moms and dads and friends. And maybe we hurt a lot, yet at the same time we know we dodged the bullet and we will fall in love again. You can play that song on American radio and somewhere in Europe and even in Africa and people will still understand its meaning. Classic rock is a universal tool that helps bands to speak to varied audiences and always be accepted. This is what I love about “Wedding Song”. Continental Lovers do not have to try hard to write a good song – music is not only about shocking, genre mixing, being a visionary or a guitar god. Sometimes all you have to do is to just write a tune and it will be enough. Simplicity is not a crime; it can be an asset.
The song was produced by Phil Booth (Sleaford Mods, Desperate Journalist, Holiday Ghosts, Hip Priests), who also covered bass and organ duties on the release. It was mastered at lead singer’s own recording studio -The Havoc Studios.
Follow Continental Lovers online:
https://www.facebook.com/continentallovers
https://continentallovers.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cc52xhf2jcAUXOnAPdI6K
https://www.instagram.com/continentallovers/
https://twitter.com/contilovers
https://www.youtube.com/@continentallovers7401
If you are looking for a really good new band playing classic rock, put Continental Lovers on your radar. With gigs and festival appearances booked for the spring/summer (including Rebellion Festival in Manchester and Call Of The Wild) and a new EP coming out this May, Continental Lovers will be very busy. And it’s good that they are, we need somebody to continue the proud rock tradition. Continental Lovers are perfect for that role.
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 