I expect that the Daily Mail would introduce you to Charlotte Hatherley with the typical ‘Foxy Chick Guitar Slinger in Foul Mouthed Outburst Shock!’ headline. And to be honest, they would be almost halfway there; yes, we have a foxy chick, yes she is a guitar slinger, but to describe this rampant, rollicking rock and roll strut as a foul mouthed outburst is way off the mark. What we do have is a late night, early morning, alcohol fuelled tale of a quasi sleazy one night stand that results in our heroines beloved guitar being stolen away into the twilight by the unscrupulous beau of the previous hours. Offering a greater reverence to the sub pop punk thrashes of The Clash and The Sex Pistols than the guise of her ‘day job’ (for the uninitiated Charlotte is the guitarist in Ash) this is an out and out three minutes of guitar driven sonic exhilaration. The lyrics could easily be set to a slice of melancholia, such are their woe, but the thrilling juxtaposition with such an upbeat, up tempo, sing along soundtrack makes the whole package irresistible.

Lifted from last years primary solo album ‘Grey Will Fade’, ‘Bastardo’ was a sure fire choice for a single right from the outset. It has all the qualities, intelligent, sophisticated, textured and infectious. It’s impossible to keep from hitting the repeat button as the tag line stamps then fades so eloquently.

However, if you do manage to get beyond the urge to re-listen to the title track over and over again (unlikely), you’ll find two new tracks, ‘3 Minutes’ and ‘I am a Kamera’. The former follows the script dictated by ‘Bastardo’ with it’s insistence towards simply forceful guitar driven aural salvos, whilst the latter is almost a new genre in itself, with it’s hyperactive blues-ish riffing and ninety mile and hour, pulsing, throbbing body of intensity.

For those of you who have been either too absent minded, too bloody minded or quite simply too afraid to try out Charlotte Hatherley’s solo work – and I’m referring to the fantastic ‘Grey Will Fade’ album here, then this single is a perfect taster for you. It’ll ease you in and prepare you for the thrill that you are missing out on. I insist that you do more for your music sensibilities and buy this record. It’s one of those that only comes along every once in a blue moon.

Johnny Mac

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