THE SPANGLES

If Carlsberg did side projects, it might sound a little like this …

The Spangles’ debut album is the glorious, riotous result of a side project of Ben Marsden and Ginna Rhodes from The Main Grains while their leader/bass player, Danny McCormack, re-joins The Wildhearts. And in doing so it might just have set a new standard for side projects - above the main output of many others.

I first saw The Main Grains when they cheekily stole the show one night while supporting Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour a couple of years ago and have been a fan of their music since. As a long-time Dogs fan, credit is due where it was due. On the night, two things stuck in my mind – the infectious hook-filled punk-leaning choruses and Ben Marsden’s guitar work (a point obviously not unnoticed by others, as he also moonlights in The Warner E. Hodges Band - a serious guitarist in his own right (Jason & The Scorchers / Dan Baird & Homemade Sin)).

Joining Ben and Ginna (on drums) is Polly Phluid (The Idol Dead/Phluid) on bass to form a punk pop power trio. ‘Power trio’ as a term can be over-used, but in this case is spot on, as the tight, solid bass and drums drive the album from start to finish, above which Ben is given space to sing and demonstrate his guitar skills.

Running to just over 30 minutes, the album contains twelve 2-3 minute punk pop tracks, with two (including album closer and tribute to The Ramones ‘Ramone’) coming in under 2 minutes. The songs are fast, furious and infectious with meaty guitar and memorable hooks and choruses which will implant themselves in your memory after just a few listens and may lead to involuntary out-of-tune singing along while listening. Don’t believe me? Then try listening to ‘The Only One’, ‘I Don’t Wanna Go’, ‘Hold My Hand’ and ‘Alone’ a couple of times.

The sound throughout is very much punk pop, although ‘Dirty Pictures’ has more of a ‘60’s garage band vibe going on and on ‘Get Over Yourself’ they continue the recycling of classic power riffs which have served songs as diverse as ‘Louie, Louie’, ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Baby, I Don’t Care’ so well.

A great debut to be played very loudly and a must for anyone who has ever listened to The Ramones, The Undertones, The Boys, The Wildhearts, The Yo-Yo’s or The Main Grains.

Catch The Spangles live soon –

28 Feb: Northern Guitars, Leeds (with Hell Fire Jack)
9 March: The Parish, Huddersfield (with Rich Ragany & The Digressions)
29 March: The Flying Horse, Rochdale
17 May: Bannerman’s Edinburgh
18 May: The Cellar, Aberdeen
23 May: The Hope & Anchor, London (with The Warner Hodges Band)
25 May: Call of the Wild Festival, Lincolnshire Showground

GMcA