The Shakes – Sorry Officer

On 7th October, London-Liverpool hybrid The Shakes release their debut single ‘Sorry Officer’ via iii Records. To date, they have been wowing audiences at Shiiine On and This Feeling. Can their studio time match the live prowess?

You can buy ‘Sorry Officer’ on the 7th October via their Bandcamp page.

In 1994 Liam Gallagher bedded in between And Lydon and Lennon to become an icon. In the past 18 months, frontman Zac Nimmo has been finding space between Gallagher and Miles Kane as rock ‘n’ rolls heir to the throne. His looks, attitude, snarl, and dancing are too good to be denied. On ‘Sorry Officer’, he switches up from anthemic punk to beat poet spitting venom as the guitars hiss and swirl all around.

However, this is not a band all about the frontman. The riffs, the keys, and the solos are phenomenal. The Strokes are dragged by the throat to a brawl with the Small Faces and Oasis on this guttural single.

Not since The Libertines released ‘What A Waster’ has rock ‘n’ roll tapped into such a rich vein of disquiet. The immediacy of ‘Pretty Vacant’ and raw power of ‘Holidays In The Sun’ is rewired by Sam Gibbs’ scintillating gunshot guitars. They set ablaze to everything as ‘Sorry officer makes the aforementioned seem like nursery rhymes.

It’s the sound of Steve Craddock and Peter Green off their tits duelling with Will Seargent and Steve Jones in a late-night bar. Ian McLagan and Rob Collins pop in for a sesh whilst Entwhistle holds it all together!

*banner image courtesy of the band

**artwork courtesy of iiiI Records

They are not to be missed on their upcoming dates:

The Shakes – Demos

This past Friday, The Shakes opened up Martin Rossiter (Gene’s) benefit for Ukraine at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Everyone from James Acaster to Sleeper to the London-Liverpool express were given minimal stage time. Yet, they still managed to blow a hole into the soul for all who watched!

Out of tribute, no, just sheer respect to their ten minutes, we’re revisiting the Demos EP they released in January. Here’s our track by track review:

The Demos EP is availble to buy on the bands Bandcamp page. Images courtesy of the band.

Watch It

Hurtling out of the traps like the Small Faces on speed, ‘Watch It’ fires like The Strypes with The Buzzcocks fury in their hearts.

It has all the hallmarks of great 00s indie-punk bands but, though their guitars, there is an innate ability to take that sound to the vastness of Pete Townsend and hint at the psychedelic mayhem of ‘Disraeli Gears’. The guitar breakdown snarls like Paul Cook but has the prowess of Townsend and the life-affirming swagger of Noel Gallagher with that union jack guitar.

When Liam Gallagher hit his peak, he was the vocal personification of John Lennon and John Lydon. Frontman Zak Nimmo, here, has found something between Liam, Ian McCulloch, and Mick Jagger. Like Liam, he not only has the ability and confidence to carry it off, he has the charisma to work them into his live sets without it ever being pantomime. He is an instant icon!  

I’m Your Man

In between the glorious noise and confusion comes the infectious ‘I’m Your Man’. A sumptuous ode to the lovesick males among us. Teenage boys will bang their chest in bravado to ’Watch It’ but, in front of the bedroom mirror, will swoon with a lynx Africa in hand begging to be this expressive!

With the beauty of Zutons and The Coral and the devilment of the Buff Medways and The Libertines, they have unearthed a classic to wave the flag of good ship Albion once more.

Lost Along The Way

Not for the first time on the EP, The Libertines’ sense of togetherness is key to their success. The jagged ska of ‘Guanga Din’ is given an injection of Iggy via Hendrix. Their ability to keep the melodic visceral is remarkable, it keeps this looping verses integrity intact and thus, allows the solo to feel like a cannonball being launched into the night sky.

The aggression and raw power of the looping riff powers this Iggy via Hendrix and Libertines classic. Despite the penchant for ‘Guanga Din’, a visceral and muscular power rumbles throughout that Kinks would be proud of.

The Libertines imagery is hard to shake as lyrics detail a forlorn character making best-laid plans (“when I think of all the plans that I’ve made / I guess they got lost along the way”). Those wilderness years of the band caused a decade of ‘what might have beens’ for fans. Now, The Libs are back but, they’re most definitely playing second fiddle to The Shakes.

The solo shimmers and shakes like the psychotic bugged-out love child of Carl Barat and Dave Davies.

Here Comes The Rat

The guitars, oh those guitars, it’s heaven for lovers of The Stands, The Bandits, The Zutons. Liverpool has been paid homage to here and then some! Despite being the most well thought out piece is beset with the desperation all rock ‘n’ roll needs to thrive!

The Shakes: Shiiine On Festival

Some bands you like, some bands you love, then, there are bands like The Shakes. The type that walks on stage mortal and leaves it immortal. After two years away, Shiiine On festival returned and, its loyal following would have been forgiven for ignoring the new bands. It didn’t. 

The London-Liverpool express opened up Centre Stage on the Friday to a big crowd and did not disappoint. Not since The Strokes and The Libertines have band looked this good and seemed this important.

The clothes, looks, and crucially, the tunes. They are now the zeitgeist!

‘Watch It’ struts with the r’n’b Small Faces and the far-reaching ambition of a young Liam Gallagher. ‘Lost Along the Way’ traverses the sodden world of ‘Guanga Gin’, the poetic soul of Morrison, and the grooves of The Ordinary Boys to create a truly magical moment! Meanwhile, on ‘I’m Your Man’, they deliver an infectious piece of rock ‘n’ roll that makes aging men in the crowd wish they could be 18 again and every woman fall in love with them.

Their scintillating majesty is led by frontman Zak Nimmo. Beautiful like a young Jagger, he moves like no one you have ever seen. From northern soul to RnB to borderline breakdancing, Nimmo doesn’t demand your attention, he takes it! Seemingly love the child of Brian Jones and Mick Jagger, Nimmo is the icon rock ‘n’ roll so desperately needs. Confident and substantive. He can tap into Liam’s melodic soul, the tenacity of Marriot, and the all-blaze riot of Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist.

Their next show at Camden’s Fiddlers Elbow is not to be missed!

*Image courtesy of the band

The Shakes: 229, London

This Image provided by the band.

The Self-described “London-Liverpool Express” The Shakes opened Shiiine On’s summer party this past Saturday at London’s 229.

Openers they might have been but, they played to and owned this crowd like a band at the peak of their powers. Oozing charm and style, they grabbed this opportunity as if their life depended on it and, frankly, nothing is better than desperate rock ‘n’ roll!

In between the glorious noise and confusion was ‘I’m Your Man’. It’s a sumptuous ode with nods to Liverpool legends The Bandits. With the beauty of Zutons and The Coral and the devilment of the Buff Medways and The Libertines, they have unearthed a classic to wave the flag of good ship Albion once more.

In closing stages, they take a good set to a great set. ‘Change Isn’t’ and ‘Strange Sorry Officer’ bust open creative avenues which allow their mod instincts and love of ‘Definitely Maybe’ to collide. It’s debauched, firesome, and begging to be worshiped.

The Shakes may be in the early days but, on this showing, not for long. The confidence is irrepressible. True icons in the making!

*Banner image courtesy of Shiiine On.