Young Heart Attack

Currently touring the UK to promote their superlative debut album, 'Mouthful Of Love', the six-piece band from Texas, Young Heart Attack stopped at Manchester to celebrate their 150th gig; and confirmed that they're already true rock 'n' roll professionals.

To be candid, support act Kill: Stereo were bloody awful - merely a noise band without any sense of rhythm. But thankfully Viking Skull were more endurable despite the ludicrous banter of the Bruce Dickinson wannabe front man. Fortunately, headliners Young Heart Attack quite simply rocked. Comparisons with Aussie legends AC/DC are inevitable, and far too obvious.

Young Heart Attack sound like a heavy fusion of Southern blues and old school rock, but stripped from all of heavy metal's pretensions. Paradoxically, it is a familiar yet refreshing and invigorating sound. In similar style to The Datsuns, it would be a more apt description to call Young Heart Attack a very loud garage rock band, who spark memories of early Alice Cooper and the Detroit garage rock scene of the seventies.

Lead vocalist Jennifer Stephens is mind-blowing. Oozing sexuality she has the rhythm and soul of Janis Joplin with the voice to match. She gave herself completely to the enthusiastic audience, strutting her stuff on stage and never stopping. She's great!

The rest of the band proved just as passionate and convincing. The chemistry between the band members on stage seemed authentic: like Angus Young, only in between songs did the feet of guitarist/vocalist Chris Hodge touch the ground at the same time.

With a memorable name, obvious talent, enthusiasm and vigour, Wembley arena does not seem too far away. A sweaty and energetic one-hour set proves that they have a very promising future ahead.