23. February 2025
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Media Review

Thunder – All The Right Noises

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Thunder - All The Right Noises

Thunder - All The Right Noises
4.3

Rating

 4.3/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Great rock songs...
  • ... but also lovely softer tracks - and even country
  • Very compact and well-produced album.

The release list as of 12th March 2021 was just massive. Even though I had quite a lot of albums available as pre-releases a few days before that magical Friday, I just did not manage to put all the reviews out before the actual release date. One of the bands and albums which did not make it to a timely review are the British hard rock legends Thunder and their 2021 one, All The Right Noises. Here is my view of the album.

Thunder – About The Artists

Thunder are an English hard rock band from London. The band has been founded in 1989. Even though there have been two break-ups / hiatuses in the band history, the band is still playing with four of its five founding members. Danny Bowes is the lead singer, Luke Morley and Ben Matthews are at the guitars (Matthews also plays the keyboard) and Gary “Harry” James typically does the rhythm machines. The only “newbie” in the line-up, Chris Childs, is part of the quintet since 1997. The first album of the band, Backstreet Symphony, was already quite successful in 1990 and lead to a 21st peak position in the British album charts and a golden record. The following two albums, Laughing on Judgement Day (1992) and Behind Closed Doors (1995) both were Top 5 in their home country and had notable placements in other markets.

The band had solid chart positions in the past, but came back into the charts with strong positions in the mid-2010’s. Their last three albums, starting from the 2015 Wonder Days, all made it into the British Top 10. There were also decent chart placements in Germany and Switzerland. Overall, All The Right Noises is Thunder’s thirteenth studio album. During their band history, the band had multiple Top 10 hits in the UK Rock and other comparable charts.

 

Thunder – All The Right Noises – Track by Track

The eleven song album lasts 48 minutes.

1. Last One Out Turn Off The Lights

No matter if you had Adele or Gary Manilow before All The Right Noises before: fasten your seat belts, these guys don’t want to go for a lame start. The guitars are crashing from the very first seconds, drums and vocals join after some twenty seconds. Thunder is back in the record stores – and they start their album full force. Nice hard rocking opener.

2. Destruction

When Danny Brows screams It feels like destruction into the microphone in the second track, it just feels like Thunder. Like very rooted and solid hard rock. Like fun. The verses come with a nice groove, almost come with a slight ZZ Top touch to me.

3. The Smoking Gun

The first two songs made me party and rock – The Smoking Gun makes me smile. With its acoustic guitar sound and very simplistic arrangement, it comes with a beautiful country rock atmosphere. It is fun to headbang with these guys – but they are damn good if you’ve got your boots on as well.

4. Going To Sin City

From the honky-tonk bar to the casino – Going To Sin City is a lovely rocker in a 1980’s style (if there weren’t the trumpets, which make it somehow special). A song which reminds me of Whitesnake and KISS – just a bit at the softer side. If you cannot bawl to this one at a concert, you can’t have fun at a rock concert at all.

5. Don’t Forget To Live Before You Die

The beginning of the song reminds me a bit of Jukebox Hero by Foreigner – but latest when Luke Morley and Ben Matthews start hammering some chords into the guitar strings, the song gets it very own touch. A rather thoughtful and quiet track, which leads to the risk that the song feels a bit unflashy. But in fact, it is a real nice, widely arranged rocker.

6. I’ll Be The One

Rockers are somehow always best when they show their emotions. The ballad I’ll Be The One is a lovely example for that. A lovely musical vow to be loyal and supportive the whole life.

7. Young Man

Young Man comes with powering riffs and a very present chorus. Cool track, very catcha, also due to the spoken word backing vocals. Guitar lovers will have a nice guitar solo as well.

8. You’re Gonna Be My Girl

There are almost six minutes of rock in front of you when you just start to enter You’re Gonna Be My Girl. Hammering riifs and melodic parts as well as a melodic and catchy chorus definitely give greatest care that you don’t get bored at all. And if that is not enough, you have to raise your fist and shout Hey here and there.

9. St George’s Day

The ninth track on the album is another rather slow one, but it comes with nice rhythm and powerful guitar play, including some really nice solos. Nice song!

10. Force Of Nature

About Force of Nature, the band states full spectrum heaven-meets-hell jacket. This ain’t just rock’n’roll. This is honest fury. The song is also reflecting what might be going on in Donald Trump’s head. The backing choir is almost sounding like madness. Great one.

11. She’s A Millionairess

The second last song, She’s A Millionairess, is definitely a rock song, but the female background singers almost add a soul and gospel touch to the songs. The ladies turn the chorus into a nice vocal battle, the remaining song come with a really decent hook.

 

 

Thunder – All The Right Noises – Spotify

Here is Thunder on Spotify:

 

Thunder – All The Right Noises – My View

If you are looking for “old legends of rock hammer chords into their guitars and hammer on the drumheads until the instruments die” All The Right Noises is not the album you are looking for. But you haven’t been expecting old man almost blindly creating noise, have you? These guys never did it – and with the 2021 edition of their works, they even proof that the do not leave their comfort zone at all if the touch other genres. They have been fine with rock for decades, but pop and even soul and country just suits to their repertoire. Overall, this leads to a great album. Top Pick!

 

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