Having risen to fame on the Britpop wave of the 90s, ever-likeable rockers Reef built a strong following before receding from the limelight in the 2000s. With guitarist Kenwyn House gone, replaced by Jessie ‘son of Ronnie’ Wood, 2018 comeback album Revelation was a compelling mishmash of hard rock, southern-fried flavours, gospel fixings, and a Sheryl Crow cameo to boot. For this follow-up, singer Gary Stringer, bassist Jack Bessant and Wood are joined by new drummer Luke Bullen (Joe Strummer/Bryan Ferry) and guitarist/producer Andy Taylor (ex-Duran Duran/Power Station).
From its title to the Stonesy closer Strangelove, sixth album Shoot Me Your Ace sees the band playing to their hard-rock strengths, and finding some new ones. The opening title track is a strident rocker somewhere between Priest and Zeppelin (‘Energy, lust The ever-likeable Stringer can sell such lines – his gutsy, throat-shredding vocals are still full of soul and grit. On the grooving and the funky, AC/DC-lite chantalong Stringer channels Brian Johnson; on slow-builder he’s part Billy Idol, part Jim Morrison, but ultimately always himself. Bessant and new boy Bullen are in Aerosmithy seemingly a celebration of ‘sealing the deal’ with a new squeeze).
