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 Get 30 second preview clips of every track on the album and download at  Get the album on eMusic 
Get the album on iTunes  Tracklisting 1 - Party Tricks 2 - Always 3 - Come January 4 - Here's to the Pretty Girls 5 - Adverse Camber 6 - Child Proof Cap 7 - Does He Make You Laugh 8 - Why Would You Pray for Me 9 - Gypsy's' Curse 10 - Stolen Car Keys 11 - I'm Sorry, Lucy Cat. no. HAUS098CD Released - 12th May 2008 |
 FORMER CELL MATES Who's Dead and What's to Pay? Format : CD and Download Catalogue # : HAUS098CD Release Date : 12th May 2008  Steam tracks from the album now! Click the streaming icon. "We get drunk, make music and don't mean to sound so sad ... it just turns out that way." David Lee Burdon (Former Cell Mates) Self-styled leaders of the Regressive Rock Movement, the sound of Sunderland's FORMER CELL MATES is original yet familiar. Drawing on the monumental legacy of THIN LIZZY and MOTORHEAD with the ragged, drunken country punk soul of THE REPLACEMENTS and current rising stars LUCERO and TWO COW GARAGE to deliver a spiky, soulful rock gem. Formed in late 2002 by vocalist/songwriter and guitarist David Lee Burdon, previously of the massively influential punk act LEATHERFACE and bassist David Lyon who has also served time with wrestling masked garage bruisers THE COYOTE MEN. Drummer Neil Bassett previously featured in the ranks of hotly tipped XL Recording artists THE GOLDEN VIRGINS who also included solo artist Lucas Renney and Ross Millard of the FUTUREHEADS. This new album sees the debut of new guitarist Greg Robson formerly of hardcore punk thrashers THE MERCURY LEAGUE on second guitar. Following an album on Cardiff based Newest Industry records in 2005, FORMER CELL MATES hit road for solid stints on the European mainland where they built up a strong following in Germany and Benelux. In 2007 the band signed up with HOUSEHOLD NAME RECORDS and set about recording their follow up in their own Room3recording in Sunderland. FORMER CELL MATES made it their aim to put the soul into rock'n'roll and the spunk into melodic hardcore and with their new album "Who's Dead and What's to Pay?" they more than deliver over the course of the 11 gritty and inspiring rock tracks. With the raging riffs of openers Party Tricks and Always still ringing in your ears, the album hits an anthemic stride early with one of the standout tracks Come January. From this point there you are in for a rollercoaster of failing relationships and regret that pitches huge chest pounding riffs against brutally honest lyrics. But from this backdrop you are brought reeling to your senses with upbeat hopeful pop of Does He make you Laugh? - a track that sees FORMER CELL MATES summon the spirit of Billy Bragg's folksy yearning and includes Burdon's most autobiographical line "I wasn't looking for trouble, but trouble found me". Yet despite the driving beat of the record the biggest impact is reserved until near the end of the record, the quiet reflective and beautiful semi-acoustic duet "Stolen Car Keys". In a lazy dreamlike 5 minutes you can feel yourself on the beach (most likely a rather cold and bleak one in the north east of England staring out on the forboding north sea) with the singers alongside you. And as the keyboards soar on the final run-out of "I'm sorry Lucy" you should be in equal parts emotionally exhausted and exhilarated - ready to dive back in and start again. |