Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
If there is one part of the country that can possibly rival Liverpool for its attitude to music then Birmingham waves a large flag proclaiming its music history and its adoration of those that made venues such as The Rainbow, the old now seemingly forgotten Hummingbird and the gig area of The Dubliner their home before finding the way to world-wide success.
From the south side of Birmingham via Kidderminster College and into the hearts of all who come across this band that encompass everything from Birmingham style Hip Hop, to pure pop and the loving touch that would make the Head grounds man at The Hawthorn or St. Andrews look upon with approval and a slight touch of jealousy, The Twang have unleashed their latest album NEONTWANG and it is a monster, a behemoth that will take some stopping.
Live audiences have already had the distinct pleasure of hearing some of the tracks from the album in the raw, the response was unbelievable and yet coming through the speakers of the C.D. player, the tunes, the poetic nature of a city that has at its heart the history of trade and manufacturing, the hammer and the inkwell, come across in such a way that if you have any affinity with the area you will not only shed a tear for past memories but also grin with pride at the thought of that history.
The blistering City Lights, perhaps a nod to the sight of the much loved Rotunda building that comes out of the darkness out morning like a sturdy, unflinching giant standing guard over its charges, is such an excellent start; the listener would be forgiven for thinking that it cannot get any better. However with tracks such as the brilliant The Wobble, Almost Anything, Happy Families and Bigger Than you all have the stamp of authority to insist that it is a classic waiting to be heard.
With this album The Twang join the greats of the Birmingham scene, they deservedly in alongside the likes of The Move, Duran Duran and Black Sabbath so well that even though the Midlands major city has perhaps the most diverse sound in the country, those that exemplify the way of life, the heartbeat that emanates outwards from the glittering Bull Ring that harbours the great past, out to the suburbs of Selly Park, Quinton, Handsworth, Great Barr and Acocks Green, all have yet another true great to be proud of.
NEONTWANG is pure quality, a belter of an album that sits at the heart of its community and the wider world.
Ian D. Hall