The Rubettes - Wear It's 'At (1974)
The Rubettes - Wear It's 'At (1974)
A1 Way Back In The Fifties 3:40 A2 Rock Is Dead 3:04 A3 Tonight 3:42 A4 The Way Of Love 3:13 A5 Rumours 2:30 A6 Your Love 5:26 B1 For Ever 4:00 B2 Sugar Baby Love 3:30 B3 Teenage Dream 3:00 B4 Rock And Roll Survival 3:20 B5 When You're Sixteen 2:45 B6 Saturday Night 2:17 Bass Guitar, Vocals – Mick Clarke Drums, Vocals – John Richardson Guitar, Vocals – Alan Williams, Tony Thorpe Piano, Vocals – Bill Hurd, Pete Arnesen
Underrated architects of a heritage sound. Their 70s rivals Showaddywaddy may have had a lengthier run of hits, but there was something more mannered and confident about The Rubettes’ take on 50s revivalism. While the crepe-soled bovver boys quickly reverted to cover versions, these more urbane cap-wearers (hence the deliciously awful pun album title) fashioned mostly original material with a bygone bent.
The falsetto grandeur of Sugar Baby Love set the agenda and the band’s 1974 debut long-player presented itself as something akin to a smartly-conceived rock’n’roll musical. Opening track Way Back In The Fifties is an astute, on-the-nose curtain-raiser, there’s a mid-set innuendo-laden comedy number (Rumours) and lovesick puppy balladry (When You’re 16) as the narrative moves forward.
Later singles saw the group progress rapidly, blending Merseybeat and country on You’re The Reason Why and boldly addressing homophobia on Under One Roof, but the songs contained here make up an evocative snapshot of rock’s innocent beginnings and have aged surprisingly well. ---Terry Staunton, recordcollectormag.com
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Last Updated (Friday, 16 November 2018 14:06)