Steel City Rhythm - Free Love & Fighting FLAC

Do The Dog Magazine:

"Serving up a very tasty platter of brass driven reggae, ska & dub goodness, this excellent release looks set to propel the 8 piece combo from local to national & indeed international recognition as it is overflowing with expertly crafted, uplifting tunes that carry a powerful anti-establishment message to boot! Good stuff indeed that fans of the likes of Maroon Town & Rebelation will love"!

Now then Magazine: http://nowthenmagazine.com/sheffield/issue-96/albums/

"Sheffield’s finest eight-piece reggae rock group bring a fresh batch of wholesome grooves, punchy lyrics and good vibes with Free Love and Fighting.

The South Yorkshire octet waste no time, jumping straight into the offbeat rhythm you’re expecting. Shades of old school influence take hold on 'This Life', which has a classic reggae feel. Johnny Osbourne and Jimmy Cliff resonate throughout this banging opener, which is never a bad way to start.

'Never Stop' eases us in with tingly, Chili Peppers guitar tones. This is a track that really shows the group off as musicians, each member locking in perfectly to deliver a stellar groove.

The overtly political message of 'Pennies and Pounds' rings out as one of the strongest tracks here. The infectious tones and powerful lyrics - “Roll up another government vision / To bring your country down to the ground” - hark back to the social commentary of The Wailers on a poignant and important track.

The sounds of a smoky jazz club introduce 'Price We Pay', something with a totally different sound but which complements the rest of the release well. It lends itself to the rest of the songs as a refreshing addition, as the upbeat ska horns give us a feel of The Specials.

Steel City Rhythm offer a solid group of tunes here, all well produced and very well written. Free Love and Fighting provides something different and is hugely crucial to the diversity of the Sheffield music scene. Bravo".

Lewis Budden, Now Then Magazine

The Punk Archive: http://www.thepunkarchive.com/steel-city-rhythm-free-love-fighting/

"Hailing from the great city of Sheffield, the rather cleverly named Steel City Rhythm are on the verge of releasing their first full studio album, and what an accomplished record it is. Formed it 2013, the eight-piece ensemble have released two EPs to date. Free Love And Fighting serves up a smooth blend of warming bass and a brass section that you just can’t tire of.

The eight track album kicks off with Beautiful Haze. Jumping straight in with a high tempo and funky bassline it then cools to a more relaxed beat that allows lead singer Ben Lydiat to control the feel of the song with the brass complementing the structure perfectly. This opening track is where the vocal work on the album stands out the most, clear and powerful yet effortless, with a strange spandau ballet quality about them. Call me crazy but it’s there, and in a good way!

Following up are Pennies & Pounds and This Life. The first of the two is a very direct call out to the control of the government, with a few blasts in there that are evoke some real Fat Freddys’ vibes. For the first time on the album the smooth lead vocals are joined by Stevie D rapping his way through verses with well paced, clear style that doesn’t jar from the style but does manage to add one of the most distinctive aspects to Steel City’s material.

Price We Pay is an interesting one. Initially, the introduction put me off the track and I thought I had managed to find a dud on the album. I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong though, this was one of those occasions. The introduction still does remind me of an old children’s show from the 80s, maybe Bagpuss, but I grew to really enjoy it. The track takes its slow opening half well, with some delicate and inventive piano key tinkering to give a little cheeky vibe but then kicks off into some more recognisable up-tempo ska beats.

The album bows out with My Eyes Never Sleep, a great track to finish on. In a live show they’ll definitely be stretching this one out to keep the crowd dancing for as long as possible. The perfect tempo to get everyone going, I challenge you to listen to this song without moving to the beat. The responsibilities are split between lead vocals and the rapping of Stevie D and the song is driven by the sterling work of the trumpet. A six and a half minute corker to wave goodbye to the album in style.

There’s more to Free Love And Fighting than just the tracks highlighted here. What is important to take away from this album is that although all tracks work work perfectly individually, and are by no means weak. The album is at its best when you let to play it through, enjoy it from the word go to the final seconds. It’s a well balanced record that captures the vibe of summer evening and pulls you into its rhythm without you even knowing it, until next think you know you’re up and dancing to bouncing ska beats.

Free Love And Fighting will make a solid and enjoyable addition to any dub playlist. Arriving with it’s rich dub tunes driven by silky smooth basslines as the dark winter months leave us behind, listening to this album will help you feel like summer has arrived already. The group build upon solid foundations of dub and reggae, and add their own flare of hip-hop and funk with an assured confidence. Not every song jumps out straight away as a clearly standing out on the album, but it’s also the case that there isn’t a weak track to be found here. The consistency of quality here is impressive. Sean Bean may still be my favourite thing to come out of Sheffield but if Steel City Rhythm keep producing records like this then they may well be in serious contention to take top spot".