Back in the days when there were record deals to be had by any band brave enough to pay their dues on the road, many bands would have sounded like The Marwills. Nowadays, being performers of beer soaked blues influenced good time rock music is hardly even fashionable let alone likely to be a reliable source of income so the mere existence of an album like “Facts and Figures” is something to be applauded, especially by traditionalists.
Even better, one listen is all it takes to banish all thoughts of this album being a product of studio trickery contrived by spectres with a desire to raise the past glories of the genre from their dusty grave. In fact, you will pretty much be forced, by powers unseen, to turn up the volume and practice the long thought lost art of the twelve bar air guitar.
Brett Bonvie sings and smokes cigars of emotion as he leads the band down the trail to the crossroads where heartbreak and good times collide whilst still finding times to shake stylistic hands with the Rolling Stones (“Talk To Me”) and even the Allman Brothers (“All Night Long”). His confidence is evident and justifies his presence in front of a band of proper musicians of the old school type.
If rock is your thing and you want to listen to a band that you would actually want to join then The Marwills should do it for you. I would do so myself but I’ll be driving the tour bus.