What’s everyone saying about The Trouble With The Shovell by The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell?
Given that that is unreconstructed 70’s rawk it’s geat to see how many column inches the boys have generated from this pure slab of hard guitar action.
After a seven-year wait the Hastings-based hard rock trio has finally returned with new studio material. Judging by the critical consensus, their fifth album is a gloriously unpolished, riff-heavy blast from the past, though it remains a bit of a “marmite” experience for some.
Here is what the critics have to say:
The Arts Desk
Calling the album “heavy, very heavy,” praise is heaped onto the band’s retro aesthetic. They highlight how: “lurking within the heaviness and tractor-reversing-through-sludge dynamics… is a sense of poppiness,” ultimately concluding that “Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell are having fun, and it shows. Dig in. But don’t expect to emerge unsoiled.“
Echoes and Dust‘s Zachary Nathanson was blown away by their gritty, proto-metal energy. “They are down to the bone, playing gritty hard rock in how it’s supposed to sound,” he writes. His ultimate advice to listeners? “Put it on now, crank up the volume, and make sure you keep on headbanging until the crack of dawn, because it only gets louder and nastier than ever!”
Metal Epidemic gives the record a solid 3.5/5, Paul Cairney calls the release “a very enjoyable album, crafted with care and, a big degree of love.” He especially praises the 70s rock vibes and notes that the absolute best aspect of the album is “the unhealthy catchiness the band provide throughout.“
Heavy Music HQ celebrates the band’s return from the wilderness, shouting about how the new album brings back their “greasy brand of hard rock from the depths of yore.” Praising the tight, under-40-minute runtime and the addition of new drummer Glen Stebbings, they conclude: “These songs get in and get out, refusing to overstay their welcome… This is a rocking good time.”
Norman Records… The venerable record retailer highlights the trio’s stubborn individuality, stating they have spent years “flying the flag for unvarnished, full-throttle rock’n’roll, ignoring trends in favour of grit, volume and The Riff.” They describe The Trouble With The Shovell as being “straight from the coalface… a direct, unpolished return.”
Metal Temple While most reviews have been wildly positive, Metal Temple served as the dissenting voice. They felt the record didn’t quite hit the mark, stating that while they found a few promising glimmers, “on the whole this is an album which lacks enough punch, conviction and stamina for me,” ultimately giving it a 4/10 and comparing the band’s sound to Marmite…which for some at least might be the highest accolade! It’s all a matter of taste.
Catch Them Live:
If you want to experience these tractor-reversing-through-sludge dynamics in the flesh, the band is hitting the road. You can catch them (and grab tickets via Dice.fm) for a hometown-adjacent gig at The Piper in Saint Leonards on Friday, June 26, 2026. Expect high volumes, big riffs, and plenty of sweat!
