The Hot Sprockets

‘Brother Nature‘ by Ireland’s The Hot Sprockets. 13 tracks, and not a bad one to be found. I have listened to this album over and over, and it just keeps getting better. The songs are insanely good. The production, wonderful. These guys can write. These guys can play. The album has a ‘live off the floor’ feel to it. I haven’t heard this much energy in an album in a long time. The Hot Sprockets refer to their music as ‘country dirt”. I prefer to call it Irish Soul! Brother Nature is one of the most powerful albums I have heard in 2014, filled with the unusual, and the unexpected. - I Can't Believe My Ears (Canada)

Our album Brother Nature receives number 5, out of top 20 albums of the year. - Stephen White

Brother Nature ranked 3rd best album of 2014 - U&I Magazine

RTE's Dan Hegarty votes Brother Nature no.16 out of the top 50 best albums of 2014 - Dan Hegarty

Brother Nature ranked number 23 by the readers poll. - Nialler 9

Born out of time and with all the right haircuts to match, Dubliner Tim Cullen and his comrades have been rockin' it as Sprockets for quite a while. We remember 'em at college parties. We borrowed the first releases. Together, we've been waiting for the big-time to call. 2014 was the year where it almost happened. Almost.

"Two records in one year, baby!" declares a bearded Wayne Soper from centre-stage. Too right. Not only did the Hot Sprockets gift us with a second album (the brilliantly-titled Brother Nature), they also found time to release an EP, too. Tonight's Vicar Street hooley is more a seasonal party, then - a riotous thank-you to friends, families and fans for sticking by and making Brother Nature a top-20 record in Ireland.

Indeed, it's on a stage where co-vocalists, axe-grinders and rock 'n' roll dynamos Tim and Wayne go out of their way to justify the hype. You may have heard the infectious Crusin' in a bank advertisement. Cracking number - these boys know their way around a chorus. It's one thing to bring the noise; it's another to incorporate some melody into proceedings. The Hot Sprockets do both. Some of the bluesier offerings don't stick as well as they should, but give them time.

Soul Brother kicks us in the gut. It's lively on the floor, too (bassist Joey Lynch just about dodges a set of flying Christmas tree lights). The sprockets keep it old-school, then - urgent, powerful and boisterous. This is how Kings of Leon should look and sound. They write songs with titles like Dimestore Cowboy. They occasionally adopt American accents. The Hot Sprockets rock hard and, with a bit of luck, 2015 could be theirs for the taking. - The Herald

Come here ’til I tell yez…there was a rip roaring party in Vicar Street last night. The Xmas night of the Yuletide season in Dublin took place and I would imagine the authorities were calling in roofers to Vicar Street this morning to check out the wreckage done to its roof slates. The wreckage in my ears right now is quite possibly related to the next stage in my decline into old age, the onslaught of tinnitus, however I suspect the condition of it was exacerbated by the fiercely, fast paced live sound of the Hot Sprockets last night. But I don’t care. That’s rock ‘n roll for you baby and boy was I hailed coming home from the gig as “the queen of picking the bands” by my plus one. He bought the tee-shirt on the way out the door and handed it to me saying “Here. Fair play to ya. Christ!”

The Hot Sprockets walked quickly onstage, suited up in no time and immediately dropped the flag on the action and Holy Shee-ite was there steam and power firing from band to audience and back again. From the first to the final lap it was a truly outstanding gig and an amazing feeling of experiencing something really great in a step back in time fashion to 70s blues rock and rock ‘n roll but without sounding too retro. These guys are top class. What it is, they have it. What it takes, they’ve got it.

Kicking it off with Show Me the Weight from their recent second album Brother Nature and playing tunes from their first, Honey Skippin’, the drummer was for me out of the top drawer and drove the guys from track to track in a Stereophonics style of play I saw in The Point in 2005. The guitars, aw man the guitars, the presence, the vocals, the attire, the look and feel of this band, the backing singers, the background visuals, the atmosphere, the energy, the tunes….ohhhh the tunes and not a weak one amongst them. It was electric and gig porn at its best, enticing my senses, teasing my eyes and pleasuring my ears. I was dazed in a haze of sheer musical brilliance and they got me. Oh boy they got me.

When Heavy On My Mind came on my fellow bearded men nodded in acknowledgment of my “Awwwwww yyyyyeahhhh” comment. It was then that I decided to write this, “Dear Paul (Manager of the Hot Sprockets), it is now time to change the lads’ occupation on their passports from musicians to ROCKSTARS”.

We were treated to new material from their EP, Licks from the Vault and here is their very recent release from it, Head Over Heels. The visuals of their live performance during it, is a perfect reflection of the gig I witnessed last night.

These guys come into their own when performing live. They have a razor sharp edge and an ability to enthrall you beyond the norm and I will see them play live again next year, oh that I will.

To The Hot Sprockets, “Holy Mary, Mother of Perpetual Succour! I salute you and thank you for an amazing night at Vicar Street”. - Nicola Timmins

These Dublin dudes with a penchant for outlaw gear are one ot the most exciting live bands this writer has seen lately. Taking country stomp as the starting point and throwing in some familiar 60s and 70s touchstones (Stones,Captain Beefheart, Them) frontman Wayne Soper, mandolin player Franky and guitarist Tim all take turns on vocals to give each song an individual stamp. El Toro, their stab at an Ennio Morricone score - with smokey harmonica, Jews harp and villainous grunts - shoot straight into the trashy Show Me The Weight. The flute and wah-wah Layden Heavy on my Mind roams into Jethro Tull territory (wait, come back!) and there are a fistful of poignant, sing around the campfire ballads. It might confuse the more 'meat and spuds' types but those longing for a band to take the blues to unexpected places will find this record a thing of deep joy. 8/10 CLAUDIA ELLIOTT - Claudia Elliot, Blues Magazine UK

Contrary to the dismissive claims of some songwriters, "difficult
second album syndrome" its all too real for many artist. Over the
years, countless bands have been plagued by it and, in more than a few cases failing to match the creative success of their debut has
resulted in their ultimate implosion. It is therefor hugely encouraging when a group buck the tread and end up bettering their
previous outing by some distance. Dublin quintet The Hot Sprockets can now be counted Rolling Stones and Faces, and packed with great big rhythm guitar noises, Brother Nature is a whiskey-soaked riot of a
record. There is a generous thirteen tracks, some of the songs like
stonking Soul Brother, will already be familiar to those who have
caught the The Hot Sprockets incendiary live show over the years, but that's good you can get into the groves immediately. They are no one trick ponies : there is an impressive diversity across the thirteen tracks, encompassing brooding swamp blues (Quarter Roam) rawhide inspired (El Toro) and righteous which is Rock n Roll (Boogie Woogie) among others and stylings. The flute driven "Heavy On My Mind" - remember Jethro Tull anyone? - is a gem. And 'Homeslice' is a superb ballad of lost youth and opportunity which is sure to be a live favorite for years to come. With Brother Nature, Hot Sprockets have confirmed that they are a real rock n roll band. There can be no higher compliment than that. 8/10 EDWIN McFEE - Edwin McFee - Hotpress

A country-blues explosion with all the stomping arrogance of classic
rock, Brothder Nature is a homage to a sound that is timeless in its
roots. There is little to criticise about The Hot Sprockets second
album - other than the display of over confidence by putting five
stars on the sleeve but perhaps it has a meaning other than a
deceleration of just how good this thirteen track is. Quarter Roam a
slinky number with a delecious Western twang. Soul Brother, Boogie
Woogie and Shake Me Off maintain the energetic momentum, while
Homeslice and Worried Kind show a more tender slide. - Irish Times

“Rarely do you witness what The Blues saw, when The Hot Sprockets opened up for The Strypes at London’s 100 Club earlier this year. The sold-out crowd was primed for some bluesy rock-n-roll....
Within a few songs, the buttoned-up, arms folded, entertain-me-then capital cool cats were shook up, loosened up, and howling for more.”
Claudia Elliott, Blues Mag UK - Claudia Elliott, Blues Mag UK

Fourteen months have passed since we met Soapy Rivers, Timmy Thunder Drew Kung Fu et al. in The Hot Sprockets' rambunctious 'Soul Brother' video. That's a long time to keep eager fans waiting for a second LP.
A further two excellent singles followed, and bolstered by plenty of
festival dates and that AIB ad, the popular Dublin lads attracted a
huge crowd for Saturday's 'Brother Nature' launch; so big, in fact,
that hordes of ticketless fans were left outside as the "Soul'd Out"
signs went up well before 9pm. Inside it was a different story with
The Sprockets leaving nothing to chance. Ramshackle and care free they may appear, but it's their meticulous attention to detail that shines through tonight. the screeching guitars, Soper's incendiary vocals, and bone-rattling bass drum sound are as good as ever during a high-octane opening that includes 'Quarter Roam', 'Bad Jim' and 'Woman And Child', but its the impressive visuals, strobes, backing singers and Franky Kelly's subtle percussive touches that take their live show to a new level. Joined by a flautist and bongo player (that's 10 bodies on stage now)' the extremely psychedelic 'Heavy On My Mind' is so trippy it wouldn't be out of place on one of those mind bending Amorphous Androgynous compilations. Even at the worst of times Soper struggles to conceal that smile of his, but during 'Sleep Shake' - an old-school Sprockets classic - and ' Soul Brother' the effervescent frontman is beaming like a Cheshire cat. He even cracks a few laughs between lines, and rightly so; this is the best they've ever been, as the Army of stage-divers will also Testify... - Johnny Keegan

“Stomping, rasping and howling from start to end Brother Nature covers an immense range of sounds and moods. Raucous dynamic peaks give way to more reflective quieter moments as the album takes it’s hold. Some three year’s since their début record Honey Skippin’, the group have been busy in the interim honing their craft resulting in a powerful album of great stylistic flourishes.” BROTHER NATURE Album Review, 10 out of 10. Stephen White, The Last Mixed Tape. May 2014. - Stephen White

The Irish music scene is experiencing somewhat of a rock and roll resurgence at the moment and The Hot Sprockets are one of the finest examples of the authentic and accomplished material that is coming out of the country right now.

Bringing together a wide range of genres in one cohesive album is no mean feat but that is exactly what the five-piece have managed to do with sophomore album Brother Nature. From the understated dirty blues of opener Quarter Roam to the jazz influences on Heavy On My Mind and the country feel of Lay Me Down, the album seamlessly blends deep grooves with full-on rock and roll to create a damn good record that is incomparable to anything else being produced at the moment. - Marie Madden

But let me take you back in time just a couple of hours, to the best act I witnessed all weekend at Forbidden Fruit and let's just pretend for a moment that they were in fact, the headline act because for everyone in the Lighthouse Stage, they were. The Hot Sprockets.
This was one of those gigs that you your friends will ask were you there and if you weren't, they'll look at you with poorly disguised pity and an air of self-satisfied smugness, shrug their shoulders and merely say, “Shit buzz man.”
I've seen The Hot Sprockets many a time but this was different. They rocked. And I mean really rocked. This was lip-smacking, hip-shaking, rip-roaring, fist-pumping, soul-soothing, slide-guitaring, drum-smashing, nerve-jangling, crowd-surfing, blood-pumping, heart-stopping, honest to goodness, good old fashioned, home-made, country blues, rock and roll.
They gave everything and the crowd responded in kind. We woo-hooed in unison to 'Cruisin', had a good time to 'Bad Jim', someone next to me howled along to 'Honey Skippin' and then everybody went absolutely mental for 'Soul Brother'. Of all the fruit sampled at the weekend, this was by far the sweetest. - Jamie Tanner - Six Pence Studio

“Flared jeans, facial hair and fedora hats are all hallmarks of the golden age of rock’n’roll in the mid-1970s. The Hot Sprockets bring all that plus the ethos, spirit and tunes to boot with their bluesy, funtime rock stomp. The Dublin five-piece have been regulars on the Irish scene for several years, garnering critical acclaim for their rollicking debut Honey Skippin’ in 2011. Their brilliantly catchy single Cruisin’ from that album is now soundtracking the latest wave of AIB ads around the country. But this year they’re set to turn up the heat on their delta blues pressure cooker and blast the walls with their fiery, no-nonsense rock.” James Ward. Jan 2014. Irish Mirror. - The Irish Mirror

“Legendary soul brothers The Hot Sprockets have rum
maged around their bag of crazy and come up
with a fantastically unusual and infinitely interes
ting video filled with strange characters and scenes
to brighten up your evening. The song is only lovel
y too. It’s entirely up your street. Don’t even argue
with us. Hit play. The video also looks to have bee
n shot in one take which makes it all the more
fantastic. From Scuba gear to wrestlers to gangster
suits and every costume you can think of under
the sun. This is a little bit class.”
Aidan Cuffe, GoldenPlec, Aug 2013 - Aidan Cuffe - goldenplec

“Of course! Tune of the Week couldn’t be anything other than
Homeslice by The Hot Sprockets.
I’ve been writing about this “country dirt” band since 2010 as each year goes by I become more and more proud that I discovered them before the release of their first album, because it means I’ve had the
chance to watch them flourish into a world class rock band.
Homeslice is, and I know we’re only a few months into the year, likely to be my song of the year, never mind this week. It is a well-crafted track that carries on the sound they have perfected since their establishment in 2007.”
Claire Kane,
Tune of the Week, Feb 2014 - Clare Kane - Music & Everything

Then comes the main act, kitted out like ‘Electric Ladyland’ was released only yesterday and popping off like a fireworks display. They start out with Cruizin’, guitars and drums pounding in perfect tandem, and don’t let up until Long Way From Home which is like a lull to allow everyone to catch their breath at the top of the mountain before free-wheeling it all the way back down again.

The Hot Sprockets’ set is not so much like a progression of songs as it is like a symphony of hard-rock in that the whole thing feels designed around a single theme, with the rhythm and chord changes aiming to provoke emotions rather than express any. Those emotions are whatever it is that makes a person or crowd lose its composure; when people, quite literally, are lifted into the air, their feet off the ground like the eponymous character from the song Soul Brother, which itself acts like a crescendo for the whole gig. It’s the spirit of Saturday night, not in exploration but in action.

The crowd goes so nuts that your eyes start to get diverted from the stage, like the whole room has become the show and the audience at once. The sound from the amps and the cheering and incessant chattering from the rest of the place meld into one whole mantra that seems to shake the floor and by the time they’ve come back for the encore, amps at 11, the venue is like an oven where everyone’s being cooked and nobody minds. It’s a manic night of pure unpretentious rock delivered expertly by the hardest working band in Irish rock. - Goldenplec

At this stage, it was nearly time for a band I’d been looking forward to for a while. Dublin based The Hot Sprockets. It’d be easy to mistake the band for a Kings Of Leon tribute band with long hair and big beards, however I can assure you that they’re anything but. What followed was an absolutely blistering set from the rock ‘n roll/blues four piece. It was a nice change of pace having come from the experimental music of James Blake to balls to the wall rock and roll. Having ventured (on more than one occasion that day) into this tent where the Hot Sprockets were playing , not once had I seen the crowd control lads controlling a crowd… until now when the crowd got rather rowdy! Myself included, if I must be honest. Is that the sign of a good show? I think so. The band finished up with arguably their most recognizable song, ‘Soul Brother’ which sent the whole tent into madness with people jumping, singing and dancing like absolute lunatics. Again, I was included in this. An absolutely incredible performance and you can expect huge things from this band in the very near future. - Krank.ie