There's something here alright. Bleeker have it in their hands. How they mould this is up to them...

This is frustrating. There is definitely something here, something big. The trouble is, Bleeker have a love of two separate styles, neither of which they seem able to mesh into excitement.

Take 'Tax The Heat' for example. They are Blues bangers for sure, but their modern energy and melodic intention could take them to acclaim whilst keeping that crunch. Bleeker have a lovely, souped-up Blues feel with a Glammy stomp and a sassy shake. Just listen to 'Highway' or the short spurt of 'Free' with its Funky middle. There's also 'Getting Out' which stands shoulder to shoulder with all those hip young gunslingers and watches them back down.

However, for every one of them, there's an 'I'm Not Laughing Now' or 'Emergency', messing around with an Indie Pop chorus, following so many and only doing it as well as them. This is a shame because they have a really sharp, nasty and sleek attack, the blade of a shiv, like the New Wave monsters of the early eighties; in fact, 'Radio Radio' melds the riff from Blondie's 'Denis' with Cheap Trick tack and an Elvis Costello melody to huge reward.

There's something here alright. Bleeker have it in their hands. How they mould this is up to them...

Steve Swift