Poised for greatness with his former band Biters, then dumped like a jilted bride at the altar, Tuk Smith's been through the record label wringer. It's still unclear why his band Biters fell out of favour so quickly and completely, but, to Tuk's credit, he barely paused for breath before releasing 2022's excellent Ballad Of A Misspent Youth. 

That album was something, but Rogue To Redemption is something else again, the complete package: pristine pop and rock with a twist of glam and bursting with arena-ready songs.

'Feet don’t fail me now,' Tuk Smith implores of himself on Take The Long Way, the first of several would-be hard rock classics on his new band’s second album. The former Biters frontman has seen all this before, has felt the sting of disappointment when things don’t work out, but is one of those guys who somehow meets it all head-on and channels it into positivity.

Tuk Smith is a survivor. Having been through the highs and lows of the business, the former Biters frontman decided to take things into his own hands and with nattily titled sophomore ‘Rogue to Redemption’, he and the Restless Hearts are in a better, more commanding place than ever.

Whilst the intent here is undoubtedly to rock out, the new release sees Smith and Co having a lot of fun and the whole atmosphere surrounding the album is one of celebration and good times. It’s also a heady and nostalgic renewal of days gone by, the flashes of old school rock sparkling like rough diamonds through the lively production.

For a while there, I thought Tuk Smith was going to save rock ‘n’ roll. He should—and I honestly mean this—be one of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll stars on the planet.

And since I’ve stolen an Oasis song title above, it’s worth noting that amidst all the coverage surrounding their reformation, one thing stood out. Steve Lamacq on Radio 4 said, “There are no rock stars anymore.”

Mate, there’s Tuk.

Which brings us to Rogue To Redemption, album number two, and it’s moving things along from where the last one left off.

“The album overall, unknowingly started to take shape almost as a concept record, full of characters, lyrical vignettes, stories and themes that have been a constant running through my life. Little Renegade is no exception, another plea to the disillusioned rebel trying to find their place in the modern world.”