There is an authentic rockin’ rockabilly sound and it’s coming like a steamin’ freight train straight outta Sheffield in the shape of ‘Misfits’, the second long player from The Slingshots. Leading the line, but failing to conform, is nearly title track ‘Misfit’ with lyrics Morrissey would certainly identify with, and been proud of, had he pursued the rockabilly route. As it stands, leading man Steve Russell is doing an admiral job of rustling up an astute lyric or two with the acerbic in yer face abruptness of, ‘I Quit’ with its all chugging bass and guitars steering the song to its inevitable conclusion. Elsewhere the band offer tearjerker ‘Couldn’t Get Along’ and blues-influenced ‘If You Left Me’ reflecting the paranoid state of the central protagonist to great effect with a backdrop of howling harmonica and slightly distorted vocal.

As the album draws to a close with a sweeping back the years ‘Butterball Boogie’, full of country strings and foot tapping beat, and a double Western inspired outing via ‘Lonesome Trail’ and ‘Green-Eyed Monster’, The Slingshots have made a comeback of staggering proportions. Long live these Sheffield misfits.

Eve Selis has really pulled out the trump card with ‘Family Tree’ as it is an album full of intimacy and rich in consistency. The gritty power of opener, ‘Power and Glue’ really states its intentions, and nicely succeeded with ‘Any Day’, which would grace any radio station’s playlist as it has ‘Hit’ single written all over it. The straight up country jaunt of, ‘When Is Everything Enough’ is a topical reminder of the current financial predicament told through the eyes of a love song. But it is the title track itself which really stirs emotionally, as it is a lump in the throat realisation of separation when the empty nest syndrome becomes a reality. It would seem that Eve Selis is at the peak of her powers as ‘Family Tree’ deserves to be a lasting success.