Album Review: Cast, Yeah Yeah Yeah

When Cast frontman John Power was asked by Hot Press about the fleeting nature of fame, back in the band’s Britpop heyday, he gave this writer the most unashamedly Scouse and sanguine quote imaginable: “For He giveth and He taketh away, la.”

For a while, it seemed that Power’s career had indeed disappeared in the rear-view mirror. But with the three-piece fresh from supporting Oasis on their stadium reunion tour, this winning combination of rock, soul and gospel could be just the antidote we need to the bleaker-by-the-minute news cycle.

Opener and lead single ‘Poison Vine’ is stomping rock ‘n’ soul straight from the Primal Scream songbook, with Power joined on vocals by soul legend and Jools Holland favourite, P.P. Arnold. Other highlights include the instantly familiar psychedelic gospel singalong of ‘Free Love’ and the full-on blues-rock of ‘Way It’s Gotta Be’, which sees the trio go all Led Zeppelin, even down to Power aping Robert Plant’s hollers and whoops.

The string-drenched ‘Birds Heading South’ is a smartphones-in-the-air sway-along that feels like a slowed-down take on The Lightning Seeds’ classic ‘Pure’, while ‘Weight Of The World’ is surely a single-in-waiting. Power’s lyrics frequently come from the Noel Gallagher rhyming school, and tracks like ‘Devil And The Deep’ and ‘Don’t Look Away’ are catchy if hardly heavweight.

However, he knows his way around a melody, and Cast’s blend of ’60s-inspired guitars, catchy choruses and tremolo grooves will never go out of fashion. While there’s nothing as unforgettable as ‘Alright’ or ‘Walkaway’, there’s enough quality here to ensure Power’s songwriting should chime with a new generation.