The Margaret Hooligans – Pete and Roger (2022)
Whenever I hear the name The Margaret Hooligans, I immediately think of one of the characters from my favourite show M*A*S*H – Margaret Houlihan. It is probably the similarity in names but, no offence to Major Houlihan, The Margaret Hooligans are far more awesome. Stylish, sophisticated and eclectic, Mr Strontium and Meg Cratty bring an intriguing sound to the masses. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Pete and Roger’.
Hot off the heels of their well-received single ‘Fat Tongue’, The Margaret Hooligans release a whopper of a tune with ‘Pete and Roger’. The ultimate tribute track, ‘Pete and Roger’ salutes the iconic Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey retelling their musical journey and long-standing friendship. Carefully selecting elements from The Who’s melodies, The Margaret Hooligans layer explosive drumming, powerful riffs and harmonic vocals into the track.
The fifth single from their upcoming album Turntable Tribulations, ‘Pete and Roger’ captivate the essence of The Who’s greatness in only a few minutes. Nodding to the iconic multi-instrumentalist Pete Townshend, the instrumentation echoes Townshend’s ability to weave instrumentation into a song without “taking over it”. Along with the dynamic guitars, drums and keyboards, Cratty embodies the greatness of songs like ‘Baba O’Reilly’ and ‘Who Are You’ with her bold, rich vocals. Weaving her soulful tones into the melody of ‘Pete and Roger’, The Margaret Hooligans may have a tinge of The Who in their sound.
In our previous review, we labelled The Margaret Hooligans as a profound, obscure pair and we stand by that. While an original composition, the pair exude the essence of The Who in their contemporary piece. In ‘Pete and Roger’, The Margaret Hooligans find a delicate balance between rock and post-punk in a chaotic frenzy – something I think represents the tumultuous relationship between Daltrey and Townshend. Nostalgic and bold, The Margaret Hooligans bring a familiar but new sound to modern-day audiences.
For more from The Margaret Hooligans check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
