#FeatureFriday 12-09-25 BPM by Portabello Express

This week’s #FeatureFriday is B.P.M by Portabello Express.

This week’s featured album has 70s rock going right through it. Like literally the words through a stick of Blackpool rock. It knows how to hit those beats, bluesy, melodic, heavy rock that loves itself. It also has that lovely European pop sensibility. A self-aware, carefree swagger that just fills you with a sense of joy that a lot of rock music can lack at times.

Power chord riffs and pentatonic solos. I hear Cream, Deep Purple, Heart and Janis Joplin, but also ABBA? Maybe it’s the quality of the singer, Happy Betty’s delivery and tonal quality. What a perfect singer for this kind of music, who knows when to sit back and sway, knows when to step forward and lean into her power.

That backlink just backs her up, like a gang of smartly dressed gang members ready to put you right. Not menacing but forthright. The bass just weaves with the solid drums, which allows the guitar to work with  Happy Betty. It’s like that happy Saturday night surprise when you fall into a scruffy pub and there’s a band playing. They’re having fun, the audience is having fun, and so are you.

If you love classic rock, this will really scratch that itch.

Final track, “William and Emily” will drop you. It’s beautifully played, and those vocals. Blimey charlie!

Totally recommended.

There is music that makes you dance, music that makes you contemplate life and music that music that gets you fired up. It’s a beautiful thing when an album manages to do all of these things. “B.P.M.” by Portobello Express does it as good or better than most. Stylistically, Portobello Express is a psychedelic Blues band that touches on Rock and proto-Metal, when a song needs it. Bass and drums hold down the rhythm with well placed flourishes and the guitar gives the songs drive and an emotional foundation.

The standout, however, is the immense power, sensitivity and flexibility of the bands front woman and principal songwriter, Happy Betty. A voice like hers is worth the singers weight in gold for a band, by being able to carry the full expressive dynamic of a song by itself; even if the other band members would be second rate, which these ones clearly are not!

The range of topics this album is touching is quite wide: self-empowerment, environmentalism, finding strength in community and more. While this could come across as scattershot and random, there is a common thread going through all the songs; finding joy and resilience in everything you do and stand up for what you believe in.

The band even lists their inspirations: Deep Purple, Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabbath and Heart. For people that enjoy these bands, this album is easy to recommend to. There is a lot to love about a band that makes music that feels familiar and current at the same time, and puts so much passion into what they do. I greatly enjoyed everything I’ve ever heard from them and can only hope that other people will feel that way about them too.

Florgoth

Radio Shows and Blogs

Upcoming shows on Untidy Radio 4PM Friday 12/09/25 we have Friday with @aishamcnamara.bsky.social. A music review show focusing on small labels releases.

Saturday 13/09/25 at 7am UK time, I will be inflicting myself on you with 5 musical choices that I have taken from the Bluesky music pot.

Back on the internet airwaves on Saturday, for those at a loose end or who might need some afternoon motivation/kitchen dancing. A nice double ‘happy ending’ from @julesfoddy.bsky.social because he’s worth it. I’ll post a catch up link on Monday www.lovewillsavetheday.fm by @louiseann.bsky.social

https://www.lovewillsavetheday.fm/