SWEET — Desolation Boulevard (UK Version) (review)

SWEET — Desolation Boulevard (UK Version) album cover Album · 1974 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
AtomicCrimsonRush
I bought “Desolation Boulevard” of the shelf in 1974 and held the vinyl in my hand with an expectant heart, as I had heard the ‘Fox on the Run’ single on the radio and loved it. I was about to get a shock. I played the hit single first, and the version on this album is nothing like the chartbusting single, apart from parts of the riff and melody, all the production flourishes are sorely missing, the eco on the verses, the squiggle synth effect at the beginning and the effect is missing. The overall production on the album is raw and unpolished, and I hated it.

That was a teenager just getting into The Sweet. Over the years the album has grown on me and it is the so-called filler tracks that I really like, as they are heavy and sung with aggression from Brian Connolly with blistering guitar work from Andy Scott. I speak of tracks such as ‘Breakdown’ with it’s cool riff and melody. ‘Medusa’ is a terrific track with real medieval influences and a very innovative melodic structure. The lyrics were impossible to decipher but it centres on the Greek mythological creature whose gaze will "make you stone".

There are three dynamic singles that have made this album a perennial favourite amongst glam fans. ‘The 6-Teens’, ‘Turn It Down’ and ‘Fox on the Run’. These are not my favourites though, I much prefer the crashing pseudo rock of ‘Solid Gold Brass’ or ‘Man With the Golden Arm’ with its massive drum solo from the great Mick Tucker. This track also features some screaming lead soloing and a swag of brass orchestration giving it a majestic atmosphere. The last track is pure filler and quite terrible, a version of The Who’s ‘My Generation’, complete with guitar smashing, drum crashing finale, and a silly piano session to fade out on. It was an imperfect attempt at experimentalism but overall this album is solid gold class.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

SURFACING Groove Metal
DEVILSKIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Summerlovin Electronicore
ONE MORNING LEFT
Buy this album from MMA partners
For Death And Eternity Metalcore
ANYALA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Gaia Metalcore
RELATIONS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Decievers Deathcore
ORACLE SPECTRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Dissection - Starless Aeon (Official Music Video)
DISSECTION
Tupan· 4 hours ago
OPAL IN SKY - Empathy, The Gift (Music Video)
OPAL IN SKY
Bosh66· 7 hours ago
OPAL IN SKY - The Sacral (Lyric Video)
OPAL IN SKY
Bosh66· 7 hours ago
OPAL IN SKY - Planetary Bliss (Music Video)
OPAL IN SKY
Bosh66· 7 hours ago
OPAL IN SKY - Sequential Lives (Music Video)
OPAL IN SKY
Bosh66· 7 hours ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed