RACING CARS
''SECOND WIND''
OCTOBER 1 2007
46:04
1/The Wrong Road/4:15
2/Love Down There/3:20
3/Waving Not Drowning/3:35
4/Hate to See a Women Cry/4:52
5/Bolt from the Blue/5:50
6/Cuckoo Spit /3:29
7/On Days Like These/3:32
8/Whatever Sunday Brings/3:29
9/The Heart of You/4:56
10/Six Silver Strings/4:02
11/Bolt from the Blue/4:44
Chris Summerill /Vocals (Background)
Simon Davies /Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Colin Griffin /Drums, Percussion
Morty /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Chris Thomas /Guitar (Bass)
Graham Williams /Guitars, Vocals
REVIEW
by Jo-Ann Greene
Since first revving back out onto the road in 1988, Racing Cars have undergone a few remodels, but their engine has purred smoothly regardless. In 2000, the band finally released a new album, Bolt from the Blue, but it's taken another seven years for Racing Cars to pull back into the studio and record their follow-up, Second Wind. It's a fine set, ten songs strong plus a remix, but one that is surprisingly far less diverse than their live performances. Zooming down "The Wrong Road," Racing Cars head straight for classic rock land with a trio of powerful '70s-styled rockers, a potent reminder of the band's early days. But as fans well know, there's more to this sleek vehicle than that. "Whatever Sunday Brings" and the nostalgic "Six Silver Strings" pay tribute to the band's bluesy roots, while "Cuckoo Spit" leans toward R&B, but with a decided '70s spin. "Bolt from the Blue," in contrast, perfectly captures the glossy urban style of the '80s -- from this side of the pond that is, with "Hate to See a Woman Cry" reflecting the lush post-new romantic style that swept over the opposite shore, a moody ballad made to break your heart. But that's the beauty of Racing Cars: they can belt out a stomper like "Cuckoo Spit" one minute and the downbeat showstopper "The Heart of You" the next. Still, what's lacking is a sense of adventure and a few unexpected surprises. The band is happy to do that live, but apparently not in the studio. Fans probably won't mind, but it would have made for a far more exciting set in the end.
BIOGRAPHY
by Rovi
Formed in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales in 1975, Racing Cars comprised Graham Headley Williams (guitar), Gareth ‘Monty’ Mortimer (vocals/guitar), Ray ‘Alice’ Ennis (guitar), David Land (bass) and Robert Wilding (drums). Released by Chrysalis Records, their albums also included bit-parts for session pianist Geraint Watkins, American saxophonist Jerry Jumonville, the Bowles Brothers Band (on vocal harmonies). Reaching number 39 in the UK album list, the band’s 1977 debut Downtown Tonight also produced an unexpected UK Top 20 entry with the memorable ballad ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’, named after the movie. No more hits were forthcoming but the band was sufficiently established in the colleges to issue two further albums.
Mortimer worked as a session singer before re-forming Racing Cars in the late 80s. The revived unit toured Europe for several years and completed a new album, Bolt From The Blue, in 2000.
''SECOND WIND''
OCTOBER 1 2007
46:04
1/The Wrong Road/4:15
2/Love Down There/3:20
3/Waving Not Drowning/3:35
4/Hate to See a Women Cry/4:52
5/Bolt from the Blue/5:50
6/Cuckoo Spit /3:29
7/On Days Like These/3:32
8/Whatever Sunday Brings/3:29
9/The Heart of You/4:56
10/Six Silver Strings/4:02
11/Bolt from the Blue/4:44
Chris Summerill /Vocals (Background)
Simon Davies /Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Colin Griffin /Drums, Percussion
Morty /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Chris Thomas /Guitar (Bass)
Graham Williams /Guitars, Vocals
REVIEW
by Jo-Ann Greene
Since first revving back out onto the road in 1988, Racing Cars have undergone a few remodels, but their engine has purred smoothly regardless. In 2000, the band finally released a new album, Bolt from the Blue, but it's taken another seven years for Racing Cars to pull back into the studio and record their follow-up, Second Wind. It's a fine set, ten songs strong plus a remix, but one that is surprisingly far less diverse than their live performances. Zooming down "The Wrong Road," Racing Cars head straight for classic rock land with a trio of powerful '70s-styled rockers, a potent reminder of the band's early days. But as fans well know, there's more to this sleek vehicle than that. "Whatever Sunday Brings" and the nostalgic "Six Silver Strings" pay tribute to the band's bluesy roots, while "Cuckoo Spit" leans toward R&B, but with a decided '70s spin. "Bolt from the Blue," in contrast, perfectly captures the glossy urban style of the '80s -- from this side of the pond that is, with "Hate to See a Woman Cry" reflecting the lush post-new romantic style that swept over the opposite shore, a moody ballad made to break your heart. But that's the beauty of Racing Cars: they can belt out a stomper like "Cuckoo Spit" one minute and the downbeat showstopper "The Heart of You" the next. Still, what's lacking is a sense of adventure and a few unexpected surprises. The band is happy to do that live, but apparently not in the studio. Fans probably won't mind, but it would have made for a far more exciting set in the end.
BIOGRAPHY
by Rovi
Formed in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales in 1975, Racing Cars comprised Graham Headley Williams (guitar), Gareth ‘Monty’ Mortimer (vocals/guitar), Ray ‘Alice’ Ennis (guitar), David Land (bass) and Robert Wilding (drums). Released by Chrysalis Records, their albums also included bit-parts for session pianist Geraint Watkins, American saxophonist Jerry Jumonville, the Bowles Brothers Band (on vocal harmonies). Reaching number 39 in the UK album list, the band’s 1977 debut Downtown Tonight also produced an unexpected UK Top 20 entry with the memorable ballad ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’, named after the movie. No more hits were forthcoming but the band was sufficiently established in the colleges to issue two further albums.
Mortimer worked as a session singer before re-forming Racing Cars in the late 80s. The revived unit toured Europe for several years and completed a new album, Bolt From The Blue, in 2000.
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