If 2021's Inspirations was a rather predictable exercise in paying homage to Saxon's influences (Beatles/Stones/ Zeppelin), its successor is more rewarding.
The artists and songs are mostly less obvious and even when they're not, Saxon breathe new life into old dogs such as The Who's Substitute, where Biff Byford is sneering bittemess incarnate, while they take a similar approach on We Gotta Get Out Of This Place to Joan Jett's tumultuous assault an Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
Elsewhere, they make an inspired, six-minute fist of Alex Harvey's The Faith Healer and pay tribute to Nazareth, with whom they toured in 1980 with a thrilling Razamanaz.
They don't take tangents into country or jazz; they don't re-invent anything (although they're strangely polite on Kiss's Detroit Rock City) and they don't introduce us to anything remotely obscure. So what? They're fans sharing what they adore. We all do it: why shouldn't Saxon?
