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Rating: Glastonbury. Land of esoteric alignments and legends. But also a land that breathes music. The festival that takes place in this city since the early 70s is among the most famous in England. Now I'm digressing. Actually, in this specific case, Glastonbury is just the city that gave birth to the band I am about to review.
Reef are four guys who play rock, the raw, street kind. That guitar-driven rock’n’roll deeply rooted in the most restless blues. One might guess it by the phonetic similarity to the genre’s keyword: “riff”. Or because the moniker can be seen as an anagram of the word “free”, a nod to another seminal rock group. But these are simple conjectures, while the band's music leaves nothing to chance.
Sharp guitars, explosive rhythms, and few frills. A dash of organ here and there, some piano interventions, and there you have the recipe. Grandma's recipe, the simplest, but also the most genuine. There is nothing new in Reef's music, the references are clear: Rolling Stones and Faces above all. Starting with the voice of the singer Gary Stringer, which turns out to be a successful cross between Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart. A rough, scratchy voice, soul and passion in every tone.
They owe their success to ex-Style Council Paul Weller, who discovered them and decided to take them on tour. “Glow” was released in 1997 and is the group's second album, after the good debut “Replenish” which had already placed some singles in the British charts.
“Place your hands” is instead the lead hit of this album, with a rhythm section that pumps rhythm and power and an inspired riff reminiscent of Keith Richards at his best. The song enters the UK top ten, and shortly thereafter the album even reaches the top.
“Glow” is a concentrate of fresh energy, a real assault on the tendons, with the solid guitars of “I would have left you” or the funky wah-wah of “Lately stomping”.
But there are also softer moments, with the soulful touches of the splendid ballad “Consideration” or the bucolic “Lullaby”.
The magazine “Kerrang” recently placed this album at 26th place in the ranking of “100 albums to hear before you die”. An exaggeration, certainly. And personally, it’s not an album I can listen to at any moment. But when I need to release the adrenaline in my body, or simply for a burst of vitality, there's nothing better. Or almost.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Place Your Hands (03:38)
Oh place your hands, on my hope,
Run your fingers through my soul, (all right yes)
And the way that I feel right now,
Oh Lord it may go.
So place your hands, on my hope,
Run your fingers through my soul, (all right yes)
And the way that we feel right now,
Oh Lord it may go.
Put your hands on, put your hands on. (x4)
You know you cannot hide, from what's inside,
You know you cannot hide, from what's inside.
So I ask of you to help me through,
I ask of you this thing to do.
Put your hands on, put your hands on. (x2)
So lay me down, for a while,
Join my body with my mind, (all right now)
And I cried at the Common One,
For weeks aft' he died.
Put your hands on, put your hands on. (x6)
And the way that we feel right now,
Oh Lord it may go.
put your hands on, put your hands on. (x4)
04 Lately Stomping (02:46)
Lately, I have not been treated gently by myself.
I have been over used, ripped off and abused,
Stomping in my shoes, well no more!
Think of your family, home is the place to be,
Think of your family once more.
Lately, all my clothes have been so dirty and threadbare.
They have been over used, my heart battered and bruised,
Thankless for my views, well no more.
Think of your family, home is the place to be,
Think of your family once more.
Been around the world, and there is nothing that I wouldn't do,
Just to see the smile upon your face.
Think of your family, home is the place to be,
Think of your family once more.
05 Consideration (05:45)
I don't think that kindness is a weakness.
I don't have a problem with compassion
Tell me what you're thinking?
would you like to be so high?
could you give consideration to something
that you did not release?
would you close your ears to
the things you did not believe?
tell me would you be strong?
would you be the one to carry on? (x2)
half dont come here (x3)
So do i.
it's gonna be alright...
*~*~Reef rockszz *~*~
07 Come Back Brighter (03:33)
Been down, but I've come back brighter,
Sun hurts me, if I try to fight her,
I won't be sat here waiting,
I won't be sat here waiting,
I won't be sat here waiting for it,
So come and take me on.
Sometimes, the black hole's inside ya,
But if you can just lighten up yourself,
It will make you stronger,
I won't be sat here waiting,
I won't be sat here waiting,
I won't be sat here waiting for it,
So come and take me on.
Get up...
I've been down, but I've come back brighter,
Sun hurts me, if I try to fight her,
I won't be sat here waiting, (x3)
For you, so come and take me,
So come and take me on and on and on...
I've been down...
08 Higher Vibration (03:53)
Hey - I won't grab your energy,
So - won't you do the same for me,
So give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up,
Hey - I won't grab your energy,
Because I'm looking for a higher vibration.
Hey - don't you tell me you can't feel this,
When the rain came down but it was warm,
You could see it in the green.
Because I'm looking for a higher vibration,
So won't you give it to me.
10 Robot Riff (07:16)
Look at all the life on the earth,
Look at all the life on the earth,
You got yours and I got mine at birth,
Look at all the life on the earth,
Is that all you thought you were worth?
Is that all you thought you were worth?
Wake up now for you're alive tonight,
Loosen up, you're holding on too tight,
Look at all the murder,
Look at, look at, look at, look at, look at,
Look at all the murder,
Brother we can make it but we won't make it alone.
11 Yer Old (03:21)
Hide away boys you're no longer in favour,
You're yesterdays news and no longer the flavour,
You're washing my mouth, now you shining my shoes,
Don't need me the paper, to read me the news.
Yer old.
Speak ill of my boys and I'll take you to pieces,
So come face to face if you think I don't mean it,
You're swanning about like you're nobody's fool,
You've shown me the place but I don't want to go,
Yer old.
So what you gonna do?
I wish you would come and tell me.
So what you gonna do?
You're the problem, now you solve it,
So what you gonna do?
I'm the judge and your opinion,
So what you gonna do?
Hide away boys you're no longer in favour,
You're yesterdays news and no longer the flavour,
Yer old.
Now hear me it was the easiest day of my life,
It was the easiest day of my life.
12 Lullaby (03:15)
for your lady something sweet,
a lullaby before she sleeps,
and if your lady should awake,
you'll hold her in your arms again x3
for your children something sweet,
a lullaby before they sleep,
and if your children should awake,
you'll hold them in your arms again x3
it soon will be morning x3
again
for your good self somehting sweet,
a lullaby before you sleep,
and if you still should be awake,
then you will see the break of dayagain x4
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