With a gilt-edged reputation as a session guitarist for an illustrious clientele of blue-chip groups and performers, this fifth band release by Kamen & The Loves explores a taut and cool-some song structure glued together by tight band interplay and an idiosyncratic and charismatic vocal delivery by Michael Cahill.

These buzzy, bouncy and twangy collection of tracks err on the side of catchy with Kamen’s intense demonstration of his fretboard craft complementing rather than dominating each song.

Produced by former Blockheads drummer Steve Monti, the overall tenor of sound isn’t dissimilar to that found on top-draw new wave albums from the 1980s only more canny and sophisticated with state of the art production nuances.

Full of character and musical integrity, Americanized will yank plenty of ears to its slightly offbeat charms.

Chester Kamen and The Loves
Americanized

7/10

Words By Paul Davies

About The Author

I began my career in journalism at the now defunct, pre-digital Smash Hits magazine, which was situated in London's Carnaby Street. After learning the ropes, I washed up at Vox Magazine, essentially the NME'S monthly magazine, as the Internet arrived into our lives. Thereon, I eventually graduated onto Q Magazine when people still treasured the magazine that they bought. My journalistic career since has been on newspapers at The Times, The Independent/i newspaper, Daily & Sunday Express and, ofcourse, National Rock Review.