One album wonders - bands and artists who recorded one album only. This NME article lists its top 21 of these, and there are many which crop up on most lists.
At least two of these have already received the rare 5* status from this correspondent, and all lists seem to, quite rightly, include Jeff Buckley, Young Marble Giants, Sex Pistols and The La's.
So, might I make a case for Redskins joining this exalted company, with their only album, Neither Washington Nor Moscow?
I first became aware of this trio with their appearance on The Tube. where they brought on a striking Durham miner to join their performance and make the miners' case. Sadly his microphone was cut, shame on you Jools Holland, but the point was made. As soon as I saw the band's album, I bought it.
Singer Chris Dean's mission was to have his band "sing like the Supremes and walk like The Clash" I think he got closer to the Clash bit than the Supremes bit, but the political, brass infused anthems make great listening. After a slow, funky start in The Power Is Yours..., the decibels and tempo kick in with the fantastic Kick Over The Statues! and Go Get Organised! Even if you don't agree with the politics, if your toes aren't tapping, you're probably dead. It Can Be Done! is slower, a plea for revolution drawing on historical precedents, but without the impact of the earlier songs, but the whole thing springs back to life with Keep On Keepin' On!, before the first half ends with the slightly plodding but likeable Bring It Down!
It's back to speed with the frantic Hold On, wonderfully powerful, followed by Turnin' Loose, a lively romp, before a bit of a 'side 2 lull' in the dreary Take No Heroes and the more upbeat, but unconvincing Let's Make It Work. But it's a tremendous finish with the magnificent anthem Lean On Me.
This CD reissue also adds four bonus tracks - the Ted de Bono remix of Keep On Keepin' On, which adds nothing to the original, a passable cover of the Merle Travis classic 16 Tons, early track Reds Strike The Blues, which I suspect sounded too much like Hold On to make it onto the album, and finally Wilson Pickett's 99 And A Half Won't Do, the only non-political song on the album, and a pleasant listen without over-exciting.
All in all, it's a really good album. I can see that if the politics aren't to your taste, it might get a little taxing, but they are to my taste, so it's your problem, not mine.
This album is a must for any socialist with a taste for rock and Motown!
4* - a great fusion of left-wing polemic, and soulful rock
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