
First track "Long Way Round" starts off ripe with hooks and a crowd-bouncing dose of pop-rock energy capable of getting any party going. It's simple and melodic approach allowing for total enjoyment. Big sing-along sections and some brilliant guitar playing from Darryl Robertson.
"Bitter Sweet" and first single "Golden Girl" keep things up beat with big choruses and powerful vocals from front man Alastair Britton, the Gelligaer born singer pumping his heart and soul into each and every word.
"Innocence (Don't Walk Away)" and "We Are The Ones" up the ante with some serious rock'n'roll swagger, the latter is by far the grittiest track on this new album, one of it's main highlights and a strong shout for a future single. Aside from the fact we know the band are capable of penning a top rock tune, they are also unashamed of the fact they can get pretty soppy from time to time too, "Drifting" is the kind of softer, smoother round the edges number that Bon Jovi would be proud to write. Having said that it's actually better than most of the tracks from Bon Jovi's last album. "Fear Of Falling" finishes the album off with a similar kind of vibe, a stadium ballad by a band used to being confined to clubs and bars.
All in all, 4th Street Traffic are a band that are itching to break out into the wider world, you can sense the ambition from within every song on "Claim To Fame"...which I guess is the perfect choice for the albums title. This Bargoed based band are making the leap of faith to be recognized and acknowledged alongside the bigger and more established artists in the UK, and in the evidence of this album, it would be an insult to ignore them. This IS their claim to fame and believe me when I point out that fame is the very least they deserve. [8]