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September/October 2011 Review by Tina Saul, MetalTalk.net. Cast your mind back to 1983: wearing seatbelts became compulsory in the UK, unemployment was at a record high, compact discs were launched, the pound coin entered circulation and 'Blackadder' first appeared on our TV screens, as did Breakfast TV. 1983 was also the year that 'Fast' Eddie Clarke and Pete Way, disgruntled with their own bands, formed Fastway. Although Pete wasn't able to continue with it due to a variety of reasons, 'Fast' Eddie Clarke forged ahead and their debut release, 'Fastway', saw chart success on both sides of the pond. Fast forward nearly three decades, and Fastway are back with their first studio album since the 1990 release, 'Bad Bad Girls'. The line-up has undergone some changes along the way and now sees Toby Jepson at the vocal helm and contributing bass duties, alongside Matt Eldrige on drums and, of course, 'Fast' Eddie on guitar. From the first time I listened to the album, I was hooked. The Clarke/Jepson collaboration is superb and it's far enough removed from Toby's Little Angels era to please diehard Fastway fans, but still keep Toby's devotees happy, which leads me to think this will appeal to quite a wide audience. Toby's vocals are incredible and change throughout the album, even leading to him sounding a bit Miles Kennedy-esque during 'On and On'. If you're a fan of classic rock, then there's no doubt that you will enjoy this album. It's a perfect blend of superb guitaring and powerhouse drumming, accompanied by vocals from one of the genre's finest. It's a mix of blues-rock, southern grooves and good old-fashioned rock'n'roll, performed by three very talented individuals. What more could you possibly ask for? 'Eat Dog Eat' will be released through Steamhammer/SPV on 11th November in Germany and 14th November across the rest of Europe. *********************** Review by MetalTeamUK. Just in case you didn't know, Fastway were formed back in 1983 by Fast Eddie Clarke (Motörhead) and Pete Way (UFO) – not that Pete Way stuck around for long. Anyway, after some early success with albums like Fastway, All Fired Up and Waiting For The Roar the band ground to a halt in 1991. They popped up again in 1997 for a reworked version of their 88 album On Target but quickly faded from view again. Fast forward to 2007 and a new Fastway line-up was announced. Joining Eddie were vocalist Toby Jepson (Little Angels), bassist John McManus (Mama's Boys) and drummer Steve Strange. Now, after another four years of silence, McManus and Strange have gone, Jepson has added bass duties to his vocal role and Matt Eldrige is behind the kit. More importantly we finally have the first all new Fastway studio album since 1990s Bad Bad Girls. Entitled Eat Dog Eat this is probably the finest album to bear the Fastway moniker since those heady days of the early to mid 80s. Jepson proves himself a far better vocalist than I've ever given him credit for; his smoky, melodious tones perfectly suiting this collection of immaculately crafted bluesy rockers. Fast Eddie is also in fine form and he's lost none of his six string prowess. The slinky opening riff of 'Sick As A Dog' even sounds like it could have graced Motörhead's Bomber. The production is superb, walking just the right line between gutsy and raw and clear and polished and the songs themselves hit the spot with unrelenting accuracy. Nobody's trying to reinvent the wheel here but if you want to kick back, crack open a beer and immerse yourself in some top class, blues infused heavy rock then Fastway are the perfect band. *********************** Here's the first review of the new Fastway album 'Eat Dog Eat'. Plenty more to come over the coming weeks... Review by SeaOfTranquility.org. Even though everybody seems to be reuniting in one form or another the return of Fastway has to be one of the more unexpected, albeit no less welcome. Dormant now for a long time 'Eat Dog Eat' marks their first new studio album since 1990 and features the remodelled line-up of Fast Eddie Clarke, drummer Matt Eldridge and former Little Angels and Gun frontman Toby Jepson (more latterly to be found on stage with Dio Disciples). Jepson has always been a class act and with Fast Eddie in inspired songwriting form this is an impressive comeback that will be lapped up by old-timers and should win them plenty of new admirers along the way. Hitting their stride immediately with the mid-tempo blues rocker 'Deliver Me' it is clear that Fastway 2011 are slick, streamlined and bursting with confidence. Even back in his Motörhead days Clarke could always come up with a great melody and 'Leave A Light On' has that memorable swagger that was a trademark of Fastway's first era when they had considerable success with both the eponymous debut and 'All Fired Up'. He can also still deliver a sharp solo, notably on the aforementioned 'Leave A Light...' and the rousing 'Who Do You Believe'. A title of 'Love I Need' may suggest a ballad but the insistent, grinding riff and Jepson's call and response delivery equals another moody blues rocker with Clarke again serving up a tasty solo. 'On And On' ends the album with some powerhouse drumming from the energetic Eldridge and more blistering guitar work. With the benefit of some crisp and clear production 'Eat Dog Eat' sounds remarkably fresh, aided by contemporary lyrics sung by one of the best rock vocalists around. The Clarke-Jepson combination has worked out perfectly and hopefully we will see them on the road over the coming months to promote what is an excellent album. Reviewer: Dean Pedley Score: 5 Stars |
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