I remember being very surprised to read that The Rogue’s March had been asked to play “The Warped Tour”. Sure they were a very good bar band and “Never Fear” was a fine album, but that’s all they were was a bar band. That opinion changed upon hearing “Chaser” the band’s 1998 (and soon to be re-released nation wide) album. Not only should The Rogue’s March have been on the bill but a darn sight higher up it.

The Rogue’s March have matured both musically and lyrically over the 4 years between “Never Fear” and “Chaser” and now also have the excellent production of James Mastro to do full justice to the songs. “Chaser” is packed full of Joe Hurley’s tales of low-life on the big city (New York, London, Paris and Berlin), cheap whiskey, violence, psychos and whores.

The band are real musical magpies, sure it’s still the Irish-Country-Punk of “Never Fear” but your going to hear classic rock’n’roll, cabaret, post punk, some Nick Cave/Tom Waits style ballads and a couple of tracks that The Rolling Stones could have written when they were anygood. Hopefully Chaser takes The Rogue’s March to the next level.
Recommended.

September 2001