The Hot Sprockets

Time to go a bit leftfield with the next band I'm going to feature. So far I have featured music from genres of americana, americana rock, folk, indie americana and alt-country. Now for a cousin of the genre, some southern delta blues rock. The Hot Sprockets are as their website states from that "delta blues Mecca that is, South Dublin". Not even North Dublin! But enough of The Commitments references. I don't know where that delta blues mecca is located in Dublin but The Hot Sprockets certainly have learnt their craft well. They sound like a band from the wilds of Louisiana.

The history of the band is explained as a meeting of musical minds in a cornfield in America. They released their debut album in 2010 titled "Honey Skippin'“ and before that the E.P. "Country Dirt". The music they play is heavy on soul, heavy on blues, and heavy on rock. They describe their own music as Rock N’ Roll that is haunted by the ghost of country and blues. What came into my mind listening to the album though was that they sounded like The Coral playing a bit of country blues. They are similar in the energy you can feel off the songs, the unpredictability and that little bit of recklessness you need to carry garage blues songs across. I imagine these lads do a great live show.

I have a number of favourites off the album. The title track "Honey Skippin" is a real stompin' tune. A radio friendly piece of bluesy rock. No easy thing to do.

I wonder if the genesis of "Long way from Home" came from that time spent on a cornfield in America. The lyrics are self-explanatory. The music is reminiscent of Harvest era Neil Young; the guitar picking, the harmonica. It's a lovely, lazy summer’s day song.

And just to show that the lads don't need instruments to shout the blues, Chant is The Hot sprockets own chain-gang song.

The band have their own website and the Facebook. They are playing the Village on June 23rd with Raglans and Trap Door. Even the poster looks like mad craic. Finally you can purchase the album here.