The Len Price 3 - Rent a Crowd - 2007

The Medway is a good distance from the Mersey, Maidstone is a far cry from Liverpool, and 40 years further separate the Len Price 3 from the heady days of the British Invasion, but so determined is this trio to resurrect the past, that it's best to just let them get on with it. It's hard to believe that the trio once had to brave the taunts and jeers of the "next big things" with their "Rent a Crowd" fans, and the band put that ilk firmly in their place with the critical success of their debut album Chinese Burn, and now put the boot in with the title track of their follow-up set. With their insouciant blend of infectious Beatlesque hooks, Pete Townshend styled power chords, Kinks-like melodies, and enough slapdash energy to put even the Small Faces to shame, the group slam through a baker's dozen tracks in just over 30 minutes, and that includes the hidden bonus blues track. But short and sharp is the name of their game, just like it was back before pop bands grew their hair and transformed into rockers. The Len Price 3 prefer their hair short and their songs quick, upbeat, and with a sharp edge that beautifully bridges the gap between the likes of the Pretty Things and the Small Faces and their offspring: Generation X, the Rezillos, and the Buzzcocks. It's virtually impossible to pick favorites from such a strong set, but the boisterous Who-esque title track, the punky, swaggering "Sailors Sweetheart," the Byrds-ish beauty of "Doctor Gee," the Kinks-infected "Girl Like You" and "Mesmer," the exuberant "She's Not Really There," the harmony laced "Australia," and the utterly irrepressible "If I Ain't Got You" taken together at least showcase their musical range. Rare is a set, beyond a best-of compilation, where every track sounds like a hit, but Len Price 3 has no need to Rent a Crowd any more: this album should send the public screaming after them all on its own accord. -AMG

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The Len Price 3 - Rent a Crowd - 2007