Various Artists

Happy 16th Birthday, Angel Air Records! To celebrate another year of the UK’s independent label, founders Peter Purnell and wife Shirley decided to dish out this fabulous CD, comprised of 16 of the most streamed songs from the Angel Air catalogue of over 5,000 tracks in 2012. Keeping up?

In the current difficult artistic and economic climate, it’s not only an achievement for any record label to stay afloat, but also to prosper and grow by recognising opportunities against a background of huge change in the biz per se.

Angel Air (www.angelair.co.uk) have done remarkably well in both, resulting in the creation of a publishing company (CeeDeeMusic UK), as well as the formation of an artist managing company (CeeDee Management).
Today, the client rostra includes artists as diverse as Verden Allen and Dale Griffin (Mott The Hoople), or Nick Simper (Deep Purple) and John Fiddler (Medicine Head) to name but a few.

‘The Streaming Hot’ collection should offer something for most tastes, especially for music lovers who can appreciate a time when quality and innovation in rock still mattered.

On the CD, it’s Broken English (‘Do You Really Want Me Back’) vs. Broken Home (‘Oh Yeah’) - the former some catchy pop-rock which could well have been composed by one Ric Ocasek; the latter chosen as the European single from the album ‘Life’. Dicken (of Mr. Big fame), and Pete Crowther formed Broken Home in the 80’s, with ‘Oh Yeah’ achieving Top 40 success in various countries including Norway and Germany. With its chant-like chorus, synth-pop input, soulful voice, as well as a slick sax addition towards the end, the chart success comes as little surprise.

A different beast entirely is ‘Wild In The Streets’ by British Lions (although the actual song was penned by Garland Jeffries). Nonetheless, it has Mott The Hoople written all over it, minus the gravel voice associated with Mott frontman Ian Hunter.
John Fiddler, Morgan Fisher, Dale Griffin, Ray Majors and Overend Watts do the whole Mott and Medicine Head vibe more than justice here!

It’s getting seriously blues-funky when Britain’s answer to Janis Joplin, Maggie Bell, lets rip on ‘No Mean City’. The song was released in 1883 as the theme to popular detective drama ‘Taggart’, and unlike the TV series, is an absolute scorcher! What a voice!

The funk-o-meter is on the rise with Ray Russell’s ‘Sweet Surrender’ – a brilliant piece combining the finest blues-rock with heavy funky grooves and an intro that reminds of a 70’s Blaxploitation flick. Russell formed the ‘Rock Workshop’ with Alex Harvey, and in 1977 recorded his solo album ‘Ready Or Not’ from which this track was taken. Mo Foster (who has his own track on the ‘Streaming Hot’ CD), and Simon Phillips also feature on the song – as do some wicked horn arrangements. Come on, come on, gimme more!

It’s back in rock heaven with 70’s band Foghat and ‘Slow Ride’, though this blazing track is anything but slow… More like a devilish fusion of AC/DC, and the harder side of Slade. Screeching e-guitars and killer vocals get the good ole adrenalin going. The number was recorded during a 2007 live studio set.

‘Everybody Wants You To Make It’ is a harmonious and penetrating rock ballad by The Storys, complete with West Coast infused flavour and added harmonica to round it up nicely.

On to ‘Irish Boy’, by Thin Lizzy founder member and axe slinger Eric Bell. The track has me all wobbly (both knees and heart) whenever I listen to it. What a beauty! Sailing between folky rock ballad and melodious shanty rock, and complemented by heartfelt lyrics, Bell’s song about a restless young drifter in search of identity and love is almost metaphoric, thus makes it so relatable. A damn fine guitar solo at the end makes for a perfect musical epilogue to this melancholy tale of the seas.

As the closing track, we get Ray Major’s ‘Walk The Line’, which is not a cover of the famous Johnny Cash song I like to add. Nonetheless, there’s still a breeze of country air streaming through this excellent number, with vocals to match. The former Mott and British Lions guitarist recorded it in 2000.

Here’s the CD’s complete track list:

1. ‘Do You Really Want Me Back’ by BROKEN ENGLISH
2. ‘Screaming Jets’ by JOHNNY WARMAN
3. ‘Wild In The Streets’ by BRITISH LIONS
4. ‘Oh Yeah’ by BROKEN HOME
5. ‘This Worlds For Everyone’ by The KORGIS
6. ‘No Mean City’ by MAGGIE BELL
7. ‘The Road To Venezuela’ by STACKRIDGE
8. ‘Analytical Engine’ by MO FOSTER
9. ‘Sweet Surrender’ by RAY RUSSELL
10. ‘Slow Ride’ by FOGHAT
11. ‘It's Not Easy’ by CONSORTIUM
12. ‘Don't Be A Dummy’ by JOHN DU CANN
13. ‘Everybody Wants You To Make It’ by The STORYS
14. ‘The Ending Credits’ by ROB THOMPSON
15. ‘Irish Boy’ by ERIC BELL
16. ‘Walk The Line’ by RAY MAJORS