The Saints

With Prehistoric Sounds (the last record of the band's original lineup), the Saints provide the textbook by which to make a great rock record where horns play as much of a role as guitar. Further extracting themselves from the limitations of punk, the band retains the attitude and turns it into a smart, bluesy, gutsy combination of controlled power. There's more dip in the hip and additional swagger. The days of "(I'm) Stranded" might have been long gone, but the varied tempos and sophisticated songwriting don't sacrifice the band's intensity at all. The horns are the real treat, a central element to the record's solidity. They don't make the Saints sound like Chicago, and they don't make them sound like a faux '70s soul band -- they don't make them sound like the Doors of "Touch Me" or the Bowie of Young Americans, either. Whether used for the basis or just punctuation of each song, the tasteful use of saxophones is a genuine masterstroke. The dynamic "Brisbane (Security City)" -- which is like an update of the Stooges' "1969" and "1970" in terms of subject matter -- is the high point. After two minutes of Chris Bailey's Iggy-like lament on his hometown, the medium tempo shifts into high gear, thanks to rhythmic overdrive, charged guitars, and (of course) the ubiquitous horns. Other bright spots include "Every Day's a Holiday, Every Night's a Party" and an energetic cover of Otis Redding's "Security," where Bailey sounds so much like a young Van Morrison that it's scary. [EMI's 2007 reissue includes a studio outtake ("Looking for the Sun") and six tracks recorded live in 1977.] ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide