OK, here's the thing: the Solution is a supergroup started by drummer and lead guitarist Nicke Andersson (aka Nick Royale) and
Mattias Hellberg of the
Hellacopters alongside lead singer
Scott Morgan of
Sonic's Rendezvous Band and various other legends of Detroit punk. And it sounds absolutely nothing like one might imagine a band starring those two legends of garage punk to sound like. On their second album, the Solution deliver 11 tracks worth of old-fashioned blue-eyed soul in the manner of Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels,
Johnny Rivers, the
Righteous Brothers and any number of lesser lights beloved of Northern soul collectors and assorted record nerds. This recreation covers all the major points of the original style, right down to the horn section, soul-chick backing singers, Hammond organ, and according to the album cover shot, the mohair suits and stingy-brim fedoras. (And speaking of the album cover, check out that vintage typography and graphic design!) Split between band originals and covers of genre classics like "Heavy Makes You Happy" and "Can't Stop Looking for My Baby,"
The Solution Will Not Be Televised is an utterly retro affair. But all concerned are clearly having so much fun working in their chosen style that accusations of unoriginality completely miss the point: there may not be anything new here, but what's old is a timeless-sounding blast of unaffected soul power. ~ Stewart Mason