Dexys Midnight Rumbles

Well. It's out at last. The Rumble Strips album finally oozed into the shops last week. Having first seen the band early last year it seems pretty incredible that it's taken so long to get released, particularly given that many of the songs on it seem to have been around for a while. I guess there's been all kinds of label bullshit to get through. Shame. For what it's worth I think the band would've had far more chance of 'making it' if the album had been released last year. Still, here's hoping that the great British public pick up on a great band and album that gives more than a nodding wink to the classic Searching For The Young Soul Rebels era Dexys. I've not purchased it yet, mainly 'cos I've got some of the tracks from single releases, covermounted freebie CD's...etc. It's retailing at a none unreasonable £8.00 in HMV, not unreasonable by the standards of 1999 that is. It's hard to imagine too many folk forking out £8.00 for a CD these days. Richard Branson obviously feels the same way as he's just sold his remaining Virgin music stores to 'der management' who are changing the name to Zavvi. That'll help eh? Just slap a new name on the front of the shops and the public will forget all about downloading stuff. With Fopp, Music Zone and MVC all dead and buried...and Zavvi destined to follow (sorry fellas), HMV will soon be the only national music retailer left (and that's losing money faster than Northern Rock can give it away...125% mortgages anyone...not got a job...no probs...so you're a convicted armed robber with a crack habit...no worries...step right in...the tax payer's got it covered...). Sad.

Anyway, I digress. The Rumble Strips. Great band. Go listen and, thanks to the miracle of You Tube, go watch via the video thingy at the left of this gibberish.