DIESEL PARK WEST
Do Come In Excuse The Mess
Probably best known for their 1989 album Shakespeare Alabama, Diesel Park West didn’t really do much for me at the time, passing them by as I did in favour of raunchier fellow Leicester bands like Crazyhead and Gaye Bykers On Acid. I’m kind of surprised to see that they’re still going, but, having listened to this, even more surprised at how much I actually like them now.
This, their eighth album, is still peppered with the same kind of psychedelic West Coast influences that typified their sound in the late ’80s: ‘Charlotte It’s All Over’ is reminiscent of The Byrds, but there’s a more contemporary Americana style alt-rock feel about this album too, but, as evidenced by ‘Real Good Life’, they aren’t averse to rocking out Springsteen-style either. With some fantastic string arrangements as well, there are echoes of Richard Hawley and Scott Walker at times, particularly on ‘Lover’s Voice’, whilst ‘I Can’t Remember It’ is clearly Dylanesque in its outlook.
The highpoint though is ‘Arthur’s Song’: it has to be the most perfect tribute to Arthur Lee ever, even out-Loving Love.
Rich Deakin
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