The Heavy’s debut album “Great Vengeance & Furious Fire” saw critics lavishing them with praise, and everyone I played it to couldn’t get enough of it, and live they are brilliant, but for some strange reason no radio? So on to the next stage and The Heavy deliver “The House That Dirt Built”, which boasts the incredible “Sixteen”, containing elements of the R’n’B classic “I Put A Spell On You”, and working them into raw gritty soul with Alex Harvey overtones. My single of the year, deffo. Also there’s the current single “How You Like Me Now?”, it don’t get funkier than this overflowing with twitching energy and featuring the bastard son of James Brown, “Now there was a time…”. But still no radio? Other pivotal moments on “The House That Dirt Built” include “Short Change Hero”, a Spaghetti Western influenced slightly off kilter soulful groover, with elements of late sixties California alongside snatches of trip hop. “Long Way From Home” with it’s rolling bassline, vocal refrain and pop hooks brings classic Ray Davies & The Kinks to mind. “Cause For Alarm” has got a post punk skank The Clash and The Specials would be proud of. “Love Like That” cuts a 50’s dancehall cha cha cha. “Oh No! Not You Again” closes the gap between garage punk and blues rock. “No Time” doffs a funky cap to Led Zep and the closing “Stuck” builds in classic 70’s ballad anthem style. The Heavy have got a very clever knack of making something sound familiar, but at the same time sound fresh and exciting, they should be festival headliners. Come on radio pull your finger out.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Dean Thatcher
