Album Review: GUN - Favourite Pleasures

01. She Knows
02. Here's Where I Am
03. Favourite Pleasures
04. Take Me Down
05. Silent Lovers
06. Black Heart
07. Without You In My Life
08. Tragic Heroes
09. Go To Hell
10. Boy Who Fooled The World
11. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) (Bonus Track / Beastie Boys cover)
12. 20 Storeys (Bonus Track)
13. Come Undone (Bonus Track)
14. All I Really Need (Bonus Track)

When I was a teenager, Gun was one of my favourite bands. When it comes to melodic British Hard Rock, Scotland's Gun were one of the best. Their first three albums are pretty much flawless, Swagger in particular. I was a little heartbroken when their fourth, released under the name G.U.N, was a misguided, unlistenable piece of shit. They broke up shortly after.

Eventually, the band reformed, and after a few line-up shuffles, bassist Dante Gizzi switched to lead vocals. I wasn't too keen on this at first because while he has a cool voice, it's very different to original vocalist Mark Rankin's, and Mark's voice was such an integral part of the band's sound. Replacing him with a lead vocal that's so different changed the sound of the band dramatically. With Dante on vocals, I've found Gun very 'hit and miss'. There have been some amazing songs such as Butcher Man and Frantic, but plenty that I really didn't warm to. I was about ready to give up on Gun, but I thought I'd give this new album a whirl.

I'm very pleased to say that Favourite Pleasures is easily the best Gun album since Swagger. The title track is a fantastic single with its Hard Rock spliced neatly with some Funk. Take Me Down is another favourite, with its array of infectious hooks.

I wouldn't go as far as to say Favourite Pleasures is in the same league as the first three records, but it's certainly a very good album in its own right. It all sounds so much more 'together' and focussed than the previous two, as well as having better songs, so I can see why Gun are having a resurgence in popularity.