Following last year’s EP Face in the Picture, a fabulously stylish, smart, swaggering glam-rock-pop debut by the Manchester-formed, London-based band fronted by the impressively raspy, gritty, vibratro delivery of Liverpudlian vocalist and guitarist Katherine Parlour and distinctive riffs from North Yorkshire-born guitar Ella Risi. Palour’s voice has a dash of Axl Rose, though this is no mainstream American 80s poodle rock, more British glam and indie. The slow, powerful debut 2023 single Norwegian Wood (not a cover) is included here (“Save yourself from the woman who loves you”), while there are plenty of other highlights, not least strutting opener Cielo Drive with lyrics that instantly conjure multiple narratives: “Life has got a funny way of showing me a living / When stability is rarer than the cancer coming back / I got family issues that run deeper than the curtains/ That are covering the front hall in your daddy's rental flat.” Then there’s the glorious glam-rock shuffle of Who’s There To Love Without You, which includes has a flavour of Thin Lizzy. There are also great psychedelic flavour riffs on 24 Hour Open and $4 Fantasy, but another standout is Used To Be Your Girlfriend, a slower, simmering tune that oozes potent melancholy, pathos and emotional, vivid memory and centres on bumping into first-kiss ex who now has a baby (“Knowing you from school is a tragedy / I wish we'd met after the clothing revival / Oh god, there's your mother and sis / On that same street, you were my first kiss.” Last but certainly not least is The Travelling Show, another passionate tale, this time steeped in of jealousy and feelings of leaving your hometown, wrapped in a powerful swells of melody, chords, riffs and delivery. Confident, classy, and cool, Picture Parlour certainly rock. Out on Island Records/EMI.
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