It’s Friday at last, new music Friday lol. I treated myself to a Greggs breakfast bun this morning. The story (very much a ‘what’s the story in Balamory’ kind of morning — parents will understand) is that my son mislaid his shoes, the nine minutes spent looking for them led to him missing the bus that takes him to school in the next town. Anyway…I chase the bus in my car, get ahead of it and manage to pull into a position just near the stop – the bus is coming toward us and I leap out of the driver’s seat to flag it down. One embarrassed son gets on the bus! So I deserve that entirely unhealthy bun and sugary tea. Also I am working today on the merchandise side of the magazine, we have some great designs – some human made by members of the team and their children, some AI, but so much effort and love has gone into these, please do support us and have a look.
Onto the music (at last the reader says!)… I did an interview with these guys recently that I will link at the end of this review. They are a five-piece blues-rock outfit comprising James Burns (vocals), Huw James (drums), Eng Wei Chua (guitar), Adam Wright (keyboards) and Rahul Kabra (bass).
Let me share the press info on the guys first:
“Penny Rebels are a band that isn’t chasing trends—they’re carving their own groove. With music that feels instantly familiar yet refreshingly original, their songs strike a rare balance between catchy hooks and irresistible rhythms that invite you to move. Each track stands on its own—no two songs are alike—but they all unmistakably sound like Penny Rebels.
Their playful, tongue-in-cheek attitude shines through in music that doesn’t try to dig into your soul, but instead offers something arguably more important: a good time. Whether you’re nodding along in your headphones or caught up in the energy of a live crowd singing together, Penny Rebels make music that’s built for connection and good vibes.
From singalong choruses to head-nodding grooves, this is feel-good rock with a wink—familiar, fun, and impossible not to move to.”
My Review:
“Dance” has a very cool shuffle dance groove. There is an equally smooth club based video that has a built in smile. The lyrics roll along, I liked the “sexy in my groove” line and the message is get some drink on board and you are your own dancing king! The band has not forgotten how to rock, the chorus kicks nicely into a guitar sound – a slick slice of funky dance-rock.
It is worth noting that there is a live version of the track on Spotify and the guys are on the road a bit this year. I have put the venues at the end of this piece. And as a piece, it’s funky, it’s cheeky, and it’s dangerously close to making you believe you’ve got better dance moves than you actually do.
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You can stream music from Penny Rebels here
Artist website here
| Apr 21 | Tue 7:30 PM | London · The Bedford |
| May 29 | Fri 5:00 PM | Worplesdon, Guildford · Merrist Wood College and University Centre |
| Jul 25 | Sat 1:00 PM | Aldershot · Manor Park, Aldershot· |
| Sep 4 | Fri 5:00 PM | Cranbrook · George Hotel |
By Anna-Louise Burgess
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