The Strange Blue Dreams is a Glasgow based rock ‘n’ roll five-piece consisting of Dave Addison (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Anderson (bass, vocals), Duncan Kennedy (guitar, vocals), David Rae (mandolin, vocals) and Ross Wilson (drums).
Reverberatin’ Love is their new three track EP and it offers a faithful recreation of the sounds of Sun Records and in particular the Big O himself, Roy Orbison, with a handful of eastern tinged flourishes thrown in for good measure.
The title track ‘Reverberatin’ Love’ is the best on the release, with a bouncy bass and a sexy groove that opens out into a tremolo picked solo and cool backing vocals that mark The Strange Blue Dreams out as a group who are perfectly in sync.
Most of the songs follow a pretty standard format of swinging retro rock, but there’s the occasional Morricone guitar flourish and the arrangements are skilful, tasteful and surprisingly hummable tunes.
‘The Sun and the Moon’ features gently strummed strings and clipping drums, giving it a dusty country feel to complement the whistled pre chorus and mystic lyrics (“give them strange blue dreams to haunt their day”) before breaking into a twangy electric guitar break reminiscent of Duane Eddy
Closer ‘Up to the Stars’ utilises another twinkling guitar figure to tell a darker tale of betrayal and devilishness with a ringing hook that warns, “what sparkles in your hands ain’t diamonds”.
Make sure to catch The Strange Blue Dreams live for a consummate rock ‘n’ roll recreation.
The Reverberatin’ EP by The Strange Blue DreamsWords: Max Sefton
