Album review: Glorious Bankrobbers “Back on the Road”
Swedish party rockers Glorious Bankrobbers are back at it with a fab new album.
Formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1983, Glorious Bankrobbers was a band that was part of the small local Nordic sleaze-rock scene whose leading lights were Easy Action and Hanoi Rocks. The band released its self-titled debut album (produced by Easy Action’s Kee Marcello, later lead guitarist for Europe) in 1984. But shoddy management led to the band breaking up. In 1989 they were back together and released the fab sleaze rock album “Dynamite Sex Doze”. They had a few years of MTV exposure and international touring before the band’s journey once again came to an end. Since then, there’s been a few bursts of activity here and there, but now, forty years since the band was founded, they are finally back properly with a solid album. Original members Jonas Petersson on guitar and vocalist Olle Hillborg lead the band from the front. They are joined by newer additions Danne Lagerstedt (guitar), Anders Bentell (drums) and Lars Skoglund (bass). In the early 90s, I was lucky enough to see Glorious Bankrobbers play some fantastic shows in their native Sweden, including the band opening for Yngwie Malmsteen at an arena gig in Stockholm in 1990 (I interviewed a very pleased Jonas Petersson backstage that day). Now, 33 years later, they have a new album out called “Back on the Road”. It is, quite naturally, a more mature Glorious Bankrobbers, we get to experience on the new album. It is a very good album. The band’s sleaze roots are still there, but we also get more grown-up bluesy hard rock. There are a bunch of different influences shining through the songs, such as the Sweet-sounding “Up to You”. My personal favourites on the “Back on the Road” album include the excellent “House of Fantasy”, which has Montrose vibes, and the Rolling Stones-like “My America Rocks”. The title track is also solid, not least because of the terrific harmonica played by Olle Hillborg. Glorious Bankrobbers is a band that is back in the saddle with this great new album. Now, let’s hope that “Back on the Road” is a promise and not merely an album title. Because this band is a great live act.
Glorious Bankrobbers’ new album “Back on the Road” is out now via Bollmora Rekords/Sound Pollution Distribution.
