Chilli's centre of gravity is Sarah Upton's strong voice. Around her bluesy delivery, Marc Jennings and Steve Newman play guitars, Simon Shaw does bass and Matthew Stockwell drums.
"Calling the Angels" rocks from the start, but the general drift of the album is a funkier, cooler thing. It’s not a million miles from current versions of Texas. "Someone Else's Name" has a deft chorus and some well-dressed guitar playing. "Killing Me" and "Daylight" re-emerge as the strongest tracks from an earlier EP. They sit well in a complete set of tunes that show the band can keep their standard brew steaming along for a full set.
Seven minutes of "Good Light" stands out as the sassiest number, with some very cool guitar lines, a brooding bass line and a lustful Sarah Upton giving it very what for. It made me blush.
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This album confirms Chilli as a working band who have earned their place on gigs all over the country. Small venues, nodding heads, satisfied punters. They don't innovate or even stretch the genre. The pay off is the neat guitar lick on a secure rhythm section. Sarah's voice give it that bit of class. Something special would have to happen to take it to the next level.
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