Lonerider's 'Attitude' is an essential release for anyone who loves Rock music.

Escape Music has brought together a group of musicians whose members − Steve Overland, Steve Morris, Simon Kirke, Chris Childs and Brain J Anthony − conjure up a sound and style of Rock music you know you'll love even before you've heard a single note, and boy do they deliver on 'Attitude'! Of course, the voice is the centre of the whole thing and any Overland fan will lap up what he's done on this album, but all the other band members bring a shine, gloss and class to proceedings, and you instantly know that if this had been released thirty to forty years ago it would have made Lonerider a household name.

As I said, the people involved on this album let you know what you're about to hear before you hit the play button and they do not disappoint. 'My Imagination', 'Lonerider' and 'Hard Heart To Break' saunter out of the starting gate with a bluesy Hard Rock swagger and the Bad Company, FM, Heartland sound they engender is simply a joy to behold. I have to also say that it's been way too long since Steve Morris has graced us with his guitar playing, and on 'Attitude' he's superb on each and every song.

After such a terrific start the band the really hit their stride with tracks such as the rocking 'Fast Train', the cool as a summer evening breeze 'Wanted Man' (where Overland shines), the bright and breezy AOR of 'Yesterday Heroes', the AOR-tastic 'Angel Without Wings', the Country-fuelled 'Rock & Roll Dreamer', the classy 'One In A Million', 'Gimme Your Love', 'Rhythm Of Life' and finally 'Heart & Soul' which all tell us that Rock music is alive, doing well and even flourishing in the hands of such talented musicians.

This is a release that unashamedly harks back to a time when music meant something and wasn't just another record coming off a conveyor belt of identikit Rock albums. 'Attitude' is a release that has all the right ingredients in all the right proportions with quality songs and performances that gleam, and then it is all topped off by a powerful, complementary production job. Lonerider's 'Attitude' is an essential release for anyone who loves Rock music.

Ian Johnson