People’s Band is the usual grudging accolade afforded to those who have a hard time of it at the hands of the critics. With their essentially optimistic bent, heightened melodramatics and general eagerness to please, The Alarm have been considered a bit wet behind the ears right from the word go. But, a decade on, they’re still in there fighting, even edging up the world rankings, and Raw is a refreshing, if conscious, attempt to get back to their guitar rock roots while holding on to the anthemic bustle which they’re really rather good at. The overgrown gestures of Hell Or High Water, Lead Me Through The Darkness and Let The River Run Its Course display a rousing, fearless naivety that really only comes unstuck on Moments In Time where Mike Peters’s unshakable belief in the essential goodness of rock ‘n’ roll truly gets the better of him. Elsewhere, though, their sheer enthusiasm and decency see them through; they even manage a pretty good stab at Neil Young’s Rockin’ In The Free World along the way. (3 Stars)
Publication::Publication:Q Magazine
Author::Peter Kane
