Rock, Pop Rock: The Montrose Avenue - Thirty Days Out (1998 Columbia)

The Montrose Avenue were a British rock band, formed in 1996 and were based in Wokingham, Berkshire. The group were composed of lead singer and guitarist Robert Lindsey-Clark, pianist, guitarist and vocalist Scott James, vocalist and guitarist Paul Williams, bassist James Taylor and drummer Matt Everitt who left Menswear to join the group.

James and Williams met at school in Reading, and first performed together as a duo covering material by The Byrds and Moby Grape. They met Lindsey-Clark at a folk club and the trio formed Montrose Avenue in 1996. Taylor and Everitt then completed the line-up and signed a recording contract with Columbia Records the following year. The limited edition She's Looking For Me EP, released in 1997, charted at #118 in the UK singles chart.

This was then followed by their first mainstream single in March 1998, in which "Where Do I Stand" proved to be their only top 40 hit, charting at #38. "Shine" then followed up three months later charting at #59,before their final single "Start Again" released in October, charted at #58.

Their only album, Thirty Days Out, was released a week after the release of "Start Again" on 12 October 1998 before charting at number 102 in the UK and at number 69 in Japan. Despite establishing a cult following in the Far East, The Montrose Avenue never released another album only to disband in 1999.

 

James later went on to work with Welsh rock band Stereophonics as a touring guitarist between 2001–2004, while also appearing in the band's music videos "Have a Nice Day" and "Step On My Old Size Nines". Everitt now works on the news team at radio station BBC 6 Music after starting off at London-based rock station XFM. Before working in radio and after The Montrose Avenue disbanded, Everitt was a music journalist.(wiki)

This album from the late nineties didn't seem to fit into the time when it was released in 1998. It had nothing of Britpop or still popular grunge, but often sounded more like early to mid-seventies radio-friendly bands. And this from a British band. So times are changing. The album only reached back chat places, but that says nothing about the exceptional quality of the album. The album starts with 'She's Lookin' For Me', a rocker that goes straight to the front. Helplessly Hoping' then takes us back to the seventies. Start Again' impresses with great vocal harmonies. The vocals, both the harmonies and the lead vocals, are a distinct strength of the band. Just like the songwriting. If you are into powerful pop rock with wonderful melodies, you should listen to them. Four and a half stars out of five. Enjoy.(Frank)

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