This is the second album from Dordogne based Anglo-French band Lazarus Heights, which I believe was formed in 2007 by singer songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Dick Grisdale. Released in 2024, the line-up here was rounded out by drummer Jeff Gautier, Paul Mouradian on keyboards/backing vocals and bassist Simon Pearson. The result is a 12-song album, which includes two covers, and is incredibly solid throughout. It took me a long time to focus on who they remind me of, and eventually I realised they come across as a harder and rockier version of The Loveless, less power pop and more rock but very melodic all the same.
The conviction coming through from these guys is palpable. Dick has a nice baritone and is easily able to hold long notes and just oozes emotion, while Paul provides a melodic backdrop for Dick to play against without ever coming too far to the front. One of the things which really jumps out at me is the rhythm section, as Jeff hits hard but never overplays, while Simon provides the perfect support, whether it is a simple few notes or complex melodies, always seemingly to understand what is right for the song. Although they are based in France, 11 of the songs are in English, with only their cover of “Fantaisie Militaire” being sung in French. Their other cover shows their roots and one of their influences, as it is “Next”. Yes, I know it was first performed and co-written by Belgian singer Jacques Brel, but for me it will always be associated with a certain Scotsman, Alex Harvey. Given that Alex is mentioned in the press release I was somewhat disappointed with this version as while it is solid, it never has the angst, pain or edge of SAHB.
The same can be said for the rest of the album, as what we have here is a well-played collection of songs by a strong group of musicians, but while the songs are enjoyable, I found I could not remember any of them when the album had finished, apart from “Next” which I have loved for nearly 50 years. If you like Seventies-style melodic rock then this may be worth looking out for on Bandcamp.
Rating: 6/10