In March 2019, Tyketto went out on the road to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their second album, ‘Strength in Numbers’. They recorded every night on the tour and then put together a seamless recording featuring the best versions of the songs, which includes the complete album plus a previously unreleased song, “Wait Forever”, which was written during the original sessions but never recorded. Tyketto were always one of those bands which for never gained the heights many thought they would, yet another victim of the grunge scene. They took a break for a while, but have been a touring band again for some years, and while ex-Waysted singer Danny Vaughn and drummer Michael Clayton are still there from the time of the early albums, there is no doubt this is a valid line-up, and they know they are in front of real fans (hear the crowd react in Glasgow when Vaughn asks if there was anyone there from the Barrowlands gig some years before).
There are a few times when the harmony vocals aren’t quite on, but that to me says it is a true live recording as opposed to having been “fixed” in the studio, and I would much rather have that. The band were having a blast, so were the fans, and they were definitely feeding off each other. ‘Strength In Numbers’ was originally rejected by Geffen, and the band were consequently dropped, and it took them two years until it was picked up by Music For Nations. But the guys in the audience that night were lapping it up, and one can only wonder what might have happened to this band if grunge had never appeared. Melodic hard rock, stacks of hooks, great vocals, this is sheer fun from start to end.
Rating: 8/10
