If someone told you Island Poetry was a long-lost record cut in the mid-1970s and only just discovered, you would believe it without a second thought. That is the highest compliment you can pay a band working in this tradition, and Mad Painter earn it completely. The spirit is real, the heart is real, and above all the music feels authentic rather than costumed. Plenty of modern retro-rock bands reach for the essence of classic hard rock. Very few actually catch it. Mad Painter catch it and hold on.
The Boston-based band, led by songwriter, vocalist, and keyboardist Alex Gitlin, has never hidden its devotion to the golden age of British hard rock, and Island Poetry is the fullest realization of that vision yet. What keeps it from being a nostalgia exercise is how alive it sounds. These are not museum-piece recreations. They are vibrant, passionate performances by a band that plays this music because it is genuinely in their blood.
The Album
From the opening moments of Debt Collector, you are dropped into a world where Hammond organs roar, guitars sing, and every performance feels genuinely alive. The Deep Purple influence is unmistakable, but the band injects enough personality to make the song their own rather than a tribute. The very first thing that jumps out is the drum sound, warm, organic, and punchy in exactly the way the classic Deep Purple records of the 1970s were. In an era of overly polished, grid-locked production, hearing drums breathe like this is genuinely refreshing.
The album keeps its standard high across Suit of Worries, Empty Bottles, and Spin Your Ventilator, each exploring a slightly different corner of classic rock while holding onto a cohesive identity. Last Night You Dreamed I Was in Love with Someone Else is a particular highlight, pairing strong melodies with a dramatic atmosphere that recalls Rainbow at their finest. Shadow of the Words brings genuine theatrical flair, and Two Horsemen shows off excellent twin-guitar work that adds real depth and richness to the record.
One of the album’s greatest strengths is Alex Gitlin’s voice. He frequently brings to mind a seasoned David Coverdale, carrying both power and emotion with remarkable confidence, equally convincing on the hard-charging passages and the more melodic moments. He is consistently one of the most compelling elements on the record.
The Hammond organ deserves its own paragraph. Rather than sitting in the background as decoration, it stands proudly at the center of the music, driving songs forward and supplying the kind of character that defined so many legendary albums of the era. The organ work throughout Island Poetry is simply outstanding, and it is a large part of what gives the record its authenticity.
The back half keeps delivering. Nektarized, Tommy Lost It All, I Am the King, and the energetic Stand Your Ground all showcase the band’s versatility and songwriting range. And the closing cover of Uriah Heep’s Circle of Hands is a perfect finale, paying homage to one of Mad Painter’s key influences while sitting comfortably alongside the original material that precedes it.
Final Thoughts
What amazes most is that this music is being made in 2026. Listening to Island Poetry, you could easily believe it emerged straight from the golden age of British hard rock, and yet it never feels trapped in the past. The musicianship, the songwriting, the production, the vocals, the Hammond organ, and the overall atmosphere all come together into one of the most purely enjoyable classic rock albums to surface in recent memory. Records like this have become far too rare. For fans of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Rainbow, and the great rock albums of the 1970s, Island Poetry is an absolute must-hear.
Island Poetry is out October 1, 2026. Follow Mad Painter at madpainter.co.uk.
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