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Rose Tattoo - Outlaws
by Kevin Wierzbicki
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This long-running Aussie outfit goes back to their roots here with Outlaws, a re-recording of their 1978 debut record Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw. Of course there have been all kinds of technical advancements in recording techniques over the past 40-some-odd years, not to mention the band having all that time to hone their chops, so fans can expect nothing short of a stomping good time throughout. The guys add a few surprises for fans too, in the form of three previously-unreleased cuts that were written during the Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw sessions. Singer Angry Anderson can sound a lot like Rod Stewart during his days with the Faces, and "new" cut "Sweet Love (Rock N Roll)" sounds very much like Faces at their rowdiest. As to the album's fan favorites, original cut "Tramp" is sleaze rock at its best, "The Butcher and Fast Eddy" tells a Melbourne gang story set to a "Let's Rumble"-type groove and title cut "Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw" still makes for a powerful anthem today. "Nice Boys" is another fave from the original album; the speedy rocker shows the kinship that Rose Tattoo had and have with fellow Australians AC/DC. The other two previously-unreleased cuts are "Snow Queen," a salacious ode to a groupie, and "Rosetta," a less-raucous love song that gives Anderson a chance to rhyme Rosetta with "gonna getcha." The band was set to tour the U.S. behind Outlaws this spring before all the travel restrictions were put in place; a reschedule would really be the cherry on top for longtime fans.
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