ALBUM REVIEW: The Sensible Gray Cells – Get Back Into The World (Damaged Goods Records)
Seven years after they first recorded together as The Sensible Gray Cells, guitarist Captain Sensible and bassist Paul Gray are back with a second album.
Their previous collaboration, A Postcard From Britain, was long before Gray rejoined The Damned for their 2018 album Evil Spirits. But that evidently got their creative juices flowing again, and – joined by Johnny Moped drummer Marty Love – they’re back with a second album exploring their love of ’60s garage psych-pop.
It’s ironic really, as Sensible admits that some of the songs were written for The Damned, but weren’t “wearing the right shirt”.
Things kick off in upbeat fashion with Sell Her Spark, which celebrates the Captain’s lifelong love affair with Crystal Palace FC.
Get Back Into The World is a takedown of modern consumer culture which sounds like Madness, while lead single So Long is a nostalgic-sounding slice of 60s pop which recalls The Who, and Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, Jam Tomorrow and epic closer Another World take us into real psychedelic territory.
The band show their versatility with Black Spider Memo Man, a piece of gently lilting pop, which is a total contrast to the stomping garage-punk of I Married A Monster, which celebrates their love of B-movies.
My favourite tracks are where the Cells have their say on the big matters of the day; Stupid Dictators (jumped-up world leaders), and A Little Prick (conspiracy theories surrounding Covid-19 and where it came from).
On What’s The Point Of Andrew?, they lay into the Royal who defended his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, asking: “He said he didn’t do it, wasn’t there… He can sit upon a horse, and shoot animals of course.”
DJ With Half A Brain takes aim at “the loudmouth gobshite with the views to match” which you’ll find on all too many radio stations, while Fine Fairweather Friend is about the sort of pal who only looks you up when they want something.
It’s hard to pick a standout track, as there are so many good ones. It’s an album full of smashing songs, which I like more anything The Damned have done in years. You can get it from Damaged Goods HERE. 8/10.
