Ian 'Mac' McLagan and The Bump Band's latest offering...Rise & Shine! holds some real 'listen again' classics from the subtle to the extreme - accurate, respectable rock n roll with a popular twist.

Mac successfully attempts to exemplify all that is the modern radio rock sound. Singing and playing with a conviction and a sincerity that will melt the heart of even the most stoic of listeners, producing rousing, well-crafted rock songs intertwined with heart pounding love ballads.

The Bump Band show off their range of skills from the soft, heart-warming 'nod and a wink' to Ronnie Lane on Wishing, Hoping, Dreaming to the heavier Jerry Lee Lewis induced keyboard driven Your Secret and the mix of fulfilling lyrics and strong music on Lying and Date With An Angel.

The mixing is tremendous and the album flows perfectly with that right mix of heavy and soft, making it easy listening from start to finish taking you through different moods, different sounds, but always powerful music from the band. It all goes rushing toward the fantastic 'drunk rock' anthem The Wrong Direction, a sure fire hit for the Faces had Mac written it in the early 70's.

You're My Girl is a blistering start, all chugging guitars from native Texan 'Scrappy' Jud Newcomb and ex-Californian Gurf Morlix with Mac's Hammond lending support, before moving into more melodic territory for the next few songs, including the highly infectious Been A Long Time. The album's highlight,......the superb acoustic 5 minute ballad Anytime follows next - Mac's 'song for Kim' featuring the vocal talents of Patty Griffin and the wonderful cello playing from Brian Standefer...then onto the Price Of Love (featuring the Texacali Horns, Joe Sublett and Darrell Leonard) a sad and sorry tale of missing a loved one, reliving that naked, human three-in-the-morning feeling when the empty bottle starts talking back at you and the difference between love and lone is no difference at all.

She Ain't My Girl and Rubies In Her Hair showcase the Bumps 'rhythm section'...Don Harvey on drums and George Reiff, bass - backed up by guest John Bush, congas (on the former)- both are love songs, incredibly catchy up-tempo tunes with quite an edgy sound to them.

Rise & Shine! - A perfect blend of superb material and passionate delivery make this a classic album. This is my favourite Mac album, followed very closely by Best Of British...primarily for it's overriding sense of homely charm and rustic calm, on which time does not so much 'pass slowly' as require an immediate re-listen! To refer to it as 'varied' is a bit of an understatement, being a host of tunes to sit back and listen to in all moods and seasons, swinging from an infectious joyous bounce to a wrapped up warm frosty calm.

The artwork is stitched together beautifully, from the 'alarm clock' sleeve portrait to the 'English Breakfast' (made in Austin, USA by Kim McLagan) before and after shots on the disc and inner sleeve.

This superb collection of blues, rock and soul is the The Bump Bands' finest hour as well as being their most diverse album to date.

RISE & SHINE BOYS!

©April 2004, Ian Roberts - Manchester, England. Reproduced with permission. www.RodStewartChronicle.com