Slade - old new borrowed and blue

Slade released this album in 1974 and it marked a high point of their career, reaching #1 in the UK charts and following hot on the heels of the smash hit "Merry Christmas everybody" which has gone onto be one of the songs that best defines the band. That song isn't on here though, what we do have is a more mature and varied mix of songs than before. The band has moved on from the relentless rock noise blast and instead gives us songs like the acoustic led country rock gem "How can it be" and the piano led "My friend Stan" with its great retro yet slightly novelty vibe.

There is still plenty of glam rock stomp though, "The bangin' man" is a brilliant example of that as is "My town" which roars along in classic Slade vein. A real gem of an album.