Thunder never really rolled the way it was forecasted in the United States after the out-of-nowhere success of 1990's "Love Walked In." Since then, the British guitar band with a Southern-rock edge has maintained a cult following overseas — amassing 18 top 40 singles in the UK during Thunder's first decade alone, breaking up briefly and then reconvening in the new millennium for a series of albums released by Italy's Frontiers Records.
The band's ninth and latest studio disc, simply titled Bang! and recorded in an old English castle, mocks Thunder's early success with opening track "On the Radio," which boasts the bitter lyric "I know you're never going to hear this on the radio." The irony here is that "On the Radio" — perhaps more so than any Thunder tune since "Love Walked In" — deserves to be heard by the masses. It successfully blurs modern and classic rock, serves up plenty of attitude and is catchy enough to keep the kids humming it. Another prime cut is "Carol Ann," a catchy, tongue-in-cheek mid-tempo rocker about a meaningless, drunken romp, and both "Miracle Man" and "Candy Man" echo the massive riffs of Thunder's early rumblings. Other songs, however — "Stormwater," "Love Sucks," "Honey" — are less memorable, beginning with their titles.
At the band's core remain vocalist Danny Bowes (who continues to sound like a poor-man's Paul Rodgers) and guitarist Luke Morley (who sounds as sturdy as ever). With Bang!, the duo seems like they could keep playing together forever…
Track Listing:
1) On the Radio
2) Stormwater
3) Carol Ann
4) Retribution
5) Candy Man
6) Have Mercy
7) Watching Over You
8) Miracle Man
9) Turn Left at California
10) Love Sucks
11) One Bullet
12) Honey
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