Thank You (For Letting Us Be Ourselves)

The most wondrous glam metal band since Motley Crue or a bunch of overhyped Swedes who should realise there’s no market for second-hand Iron Maiden riffs?

While arthritic ballads like ‘Shame’ and ‘Summer Season’s Gone’ scream the latter, the rest of Thank You (For Letting Us Be Ourselves) suggests that seedy nights of LA passion with Pamela Anderson are there for Hardcore Superstar’s taking.

Resolutely old school in its approach, the 13-tracker refuses to acknowledge such new-fangled nonsense as rap and hip hop. Instead, ‘Not Dancing Wanna Know’, ‘Just Another Score’, ‘Riding With The King’ and ‘Smoke ‘Em’ paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarty! like it’s 1989.

Not content with having the best rock ‘n’ roll cheekbones since Michael Monroe, lead singer Jocke Berg is blessed with a voice – or should that be screech? – which is equal parts Vince Neill, Axl and Diamond Dave. He’s also a dab hand in the dumb lyrics department, with “It’s my life/Baby how I want it/Baby how I like it” the sort of clarion call that lippy and cans of hairspray were invented for.

Somnambulant alt. country fans will hate it, but hey, the little girls – and boys – will understand.