22-20's: boys bring brilliant blues

22-20’s: young, with attitood, blues-rocking; oft compared with The White Stripes but that is your ignorant media-types. The Brit Blues-boom of the Rolling Stones kind is a more natural reference point. Sure, there are fewer of them, hailing from Lincoln, singer is not Mick Jagger… But, seeing them live - the resemblance becomes even more valid.

These boys love their blues, it is in the air they inhale… Alike Joss Stone, they may be young but appear to be possessed by an ancient spirit. Collectively, and it is the true British one. Still, as much as they are aware of the contemporary expression and it being an art form that emerged at some crossroads a century ago, 22-20’s are raised on the Sixties blues-boom in the UK, such as played by the Yardbirds.

They inspirations do not stop there and 22-20’s like to visit a bit more complicated structures such as practised by The Doors… Yep, this team of youngsters, named after a Skip James’s track, are all about the music. There is little thought given to image, posing, hype - they are not dedicated followers of fashion…

Although they are not down-dressed like an alterna-crew but it’s of obvious no importance. And, we also hope that all the hyperbole showered upon the outfit will not go to their heads too soon and mess up the creativity. Martin Trimble, sounding like no-one in particular - a rarity these days with 50 year’s of pop cultural heritage - leads the band into the harsh domain of rock-machismo as well as into some more tender moments.

Former hits ‘Shoot Your Gun’ and '22 Days' locate the sweet spot as well as ‘Devil In Me’, ‘Such A Fool’, ‘Why Don’t You Do It For Me?’, all muscular, beefy, blues-with-knobs… There is a bit of an epic scope - think The Muse and U2 - on ‘Baby Brings Bad News’ and ‘Friends’, as well as ‘Hold On’.

22-20’s are firm, half-poised and interesting proposition at the time when the record industry has run out of people to morph into insta-stars. This lot are organic, eco-friendly and exciting. They may not reverse the climatic calamity but will add a huge slice of bruised beauty to it.

Young, with attitood, blues-like-blood… Hot!