Album: Danny and the Champions of the World, Hearts & Arrows (Southern Crossroads)

4.00

By Andy Gill

Friday 15 July 2011

With Hearts & Arrows, Danny Wilson's band graduates from being country-rock manqués obsessed with Neil Young and The Byrds to a more eclectic outfit now looking, in the opening "Ghosts In The Wire" and ebullient "Soul In The City", to take on the muscular heartland rock'n'roll yearning of Bruce Springsteen.

The Champions haven't completely abandoned The Byrds – tracks like "Every Beat Of My Heart" and "Hearts & Arrows" are resplendent in 12-string Rickenbacker arpeggios, but now they sound more like Tom Petty's domain than McGuinn's. Best of all is "Colonel And The King", an Elvis parable which wonders "How could something so electric become so disconnected?"

DOWNLOAD THIS Colonel And The King; Ghosts In The Wire; Hearts & Arrows

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