Michael Monroe releases his brand new album “Outerstellar”- releases on February 20th via Silver Lining Music

It’s 9pm on a dark and grey Tuesday night and my musical partner in crime appears via WhatsApp and hurls me a last-minute review request. Cue Michael Monroe’s “Outerstellar” landing in my inbox! Now, I don’t know if the aforementioned Monroe purveys music of a rock, indie, or opera persuasion or something somewhere in between and so I open the link with a slight air of trepidation. Spotify informs me he used to be in Hanoi Rocks, but that’s about as much help to me as a wet herring is to a locksmith and thus I’m going in dry and without a hint of prep work!

First impressions: The vocal hits like 90s indie, but with a tone like the bastard spawn of Massive Wagons and curiously Elvis Costello! The second track “Shinola” has a ring to it that suggests if Buffy The Vampire Slayer required a revamp (pun intended!) to its theme tune, Monroe would be able to acquiesce accordingly and without much adjustment! The preceding track, “Rockin’ Horse” rocks up at 154 seconds, 10 less than Shinola, so these kick the album into gear with the musical equivalent of two swift left jabs, before settling down. “When the Apocalypse Comes” consolidates that feeling of something which would be right at home circa 1997 sandwiched in with Babybird and The Verve, and I find myself warming to a sound that kept me company in my days at Staffs Uni. The Costello twang leans into John Power (Cast) at times too, very much so on “Painless”, the fourth track but then there’s a huge change of pace initially for “Newtro Bombs”, a fast bouncy punk-esque offering, shouty and bouncy and not making it past 2 minutes 30 seconds, followed up by “Disconnected”, which is again a little more punky than the earlier tracks, drum driven with either shared or overlapped vocal to give the impression that there’s a chant happening.

Given I wasn’t expecting anything as I had no clue as to what was coming, it’s around now that I start to feel comfy with Outerstellar as something I’d listen to again. “Precious” sports what can only be described as a harmonica solo, again complimented with the similar overlayed style vocal giving an impression almost of a crowd singing together with Monroe’s singing. “Pushin’ Me Back”, the nineth track, switches slightly to a cleaner sound and because of the preceding offerings it augments that difference and feels fresher for it too. It’s driving music, foot tappable to, not too fast but fast enough that it’s easy to get lost and caught up with, only for then “Glitter Dust” to sneak into a Def Leppard ballad territory sound, but I’m also put in mind of Crowded House’s “Better Be Home Soon” which, given it was released in ’98 fits right into the aforementioned feel as to what time period I’d place this release in, were I not to know it’s new.

“Rode to Ruin”, goes back to the sound where there’s more than one voice handling the lyrics but with nicely worked guitar sound throughout. However, it’s the final track that’s had my eye from the get go, mostly because it’s as long as three of the previous tracks combined! Sure, it’s not in “Child in Time” league, but at a listing of 7.41 means it could well be the magnum opus here for what Monroe and his band are doing with this album. A gentle opening for the first minute, but then escalating for the next couple, with a vocal that’s semi shouted for the majority of that time, only to lead into a sax led initially break, this is obviously a composition with various movements, especially apparent as at two thirds in there’s now a piano/organ brought in as lead instrument! Certainly it’s the most interesting thing on show here musically

All in all there’s a lot to like and listen to here. There’s skill on the instruments, a well-articulated verbal delivery complete with a familiar tone, and even a smattering of profanity to vent some of that angst out of you if therapy isn’t your choice of release! Given Michael Monroe is due in Wolverhampton in a few days’ time, I’d be happy to go have a shufti to see how this pans out live! For me, “When the Apocalypse Comes” is the stand out track but that’s not to say the whole work isn’t competently done. As compliments go, my willingness to give my Friday night in February up for a concert viewing for an artist I’ve only just encountered… well that’s about as good as it gets, as it’s solely because of Outerstellar and the impression it’s left on me.

Outer Stellar Track Listing

Rockin’ HorseShinola

Roll on the 27^th, and lets see how this transposes to the stage!