BASSHOLES
Broke Chamber Music ­ Early Singles and Unreleased, 1992-1994 (Secret Keeper Records; CD)
     Ultra-primitive lo-fi blues punk squall of varying quality, somewhere between bad and terrible. By the fourth track I'm feeling tired and bored; the self-indulgent nonsense of 'Little Rug Bug' is really starting to grate.
In a live setting these guys are great fun to see. Their most recently album proper (reviewed last month) is far superior, better played and recorded. These 12-year-old recordings sound like the work of 12-year-olds.
www.secretkeeperrecords.com
Murray Abisch

CRAZED FARMERS
First Crop (CD; Nika)
     Designer Borut Svegelj has created a stylish booklet and artwork using old farm catalogues, but he is sowing his seeds on barren soil, because this record is a disaster. The vocals are painful to listen to and the backing is an amateurish pub band indie thrash. The kindest thing I can say about these 21 tracks is that none of them last more than a couple of minutes. Hooks? Tunes? Melodies? –Forget it.
     Some of the lyrics are unintentionally funny, such as 'my cock is starting to sing songs of love and if you listen it is you who it is singing about' on the sub-Stooges 'Alarm Cock.'
     Give this CD to your partner if you want to end the relationship.
www.nika.si
Phil Suggitt

CYCLONES
Street Altered (Hep Cat Records; CD)
     Whereas a lot of rockabilly type of bands seem to be very one dimensional, these cats have delivered an album that encompasses a relatively wide range of influences. Starting off with the garage-rockin' 'Green Eyed Blonde', we move on through the ska-tinged  'I Don't Care', the seemingly obligatory Link Wray cover (and they have a decent stab it it, especially compared with
certain other bands), then there's something that wouldn¹t have sounded out of place being recorded by Louis Jordan. Every time I hear a Swedish band it seems that they're even better than the last Swedish band I heard!
www.cyclones.se
www.heptown.com/records
Murray Abisch

THE DELTABONDS
Got FUN if you want it! (Larsen; 10" MLP)
     I might be missing a sleeve insert for this record, as the sleeve doesn't even list the members of the band, let alone which part of France they are from. The photos reveal that The Deltabonds are a four piece band with the organist doing the vocals.
     The only info given is that the record was 'recorded at our local'. The nine songs here are organ-fuelled, '60s influenced garage beat – very enjoyable stuff that would go down nicely at a Wild Weekend, The Dirty Water Club, or your local sweaty equivalent. There are several instrumentals, such as 'Smurfin' bond' which are powered by the organ and are very danceable. The endearingly titled 'wombopaloobababopaoumowmowmow' is a good indication of where the band are coming from. Apart from Townshend's 'Out In The Street' the other songs are originals. The vocal numbers are solid without being knockouts, but show plenty of promise and a good attitude. Definitely worth checking out.
www.larsen.asso.fr
Phil Suggitt

THE FREAKOUTS
The Freakouts (CDR)
     When most 14-15 year-olds are already being primed on how best to save for a pension, it's refreshing to discover a young group with an interest in the finer things in life. Namely, thrashing guitars and drum kits and yelling into mics. The Freakouts are a trio of young Tacoma teens (and with that pedigree you have to be in a garage band at some point!) who espouse an energy and youthful vitality that could almost restore your faith in humanity. This is a DIY CDR of nine self-penned numbers that display embryonic references to The Cramps on 'I Wanna Be A Bum' whilst 'Don't Wanna Go Outside' and 'Car From Hell' could be Andy Blade's Eater from the '70s. My personal fave is 'Poser Blues' which crosses the '70s-'00s divide by managing to sound both like The Users 'Sick of You' (from '77) and any number of Detroit neo-garage bands, salve for the soul this is. Whilst 'Fat People From Outer Space' may be just about the most appropriate description of your humble scribe, it also sounds like Hasil Adkins via The Cramps (again). All these ditties are fast and furious and in some case almost beyond distortion level, but the enthusiasm and ebullience with which they are played are enough to remind old lags like myself of what it was that fired us all up about electric guitars and tub thumping drums in the first place. It does us good to find the flame is still burning brightly in some of today's youth. Visit The Freakouts web page and show some support why dontcha!
www.tacomabmx.com/FREAKOUTS
Paul Martin

GAS GIANT
Mana (elekrohasch; CD)
     "GAS GIANT is a four-piece heavy rock band from København, Denmark. Their sound blends influences from classic rock acts of the '60s and '70s like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, and Black Sabbath with a sound and attitude found in modern bands such as Kyuss and Monster Magnet". That's the blurb from the label's website and it's not wrong! It is indeed 'heaveeeey' but without being bombastic. It's a very Teutonic sound, the synth / oscillator giving it a high classic era Hawkwind quotient and the melodic elements reminiscent of the best sort of grunge or goth but blended as a whole provides a very muscular update of psychedelic rock at its best. The kick off number 'There's One' encapsulates all these ingredients, and thereafter the only let up is the shade afforded by the momentarily languid segues between tracks and the short 'ballad' at the half way mark that is the album's title track. I could live without the final track 'Safe Haven' which is a kind of music concrete of the bands components that meanders on too long, but otherwise, pucker stuff throughout! The guitar work is excellent and the bass and synth(s) work well together to form a more than solid bottom end that often takes the lead. Vocals are strong and mixed at a level that presents the voice as an equal to the instruments rather than an overdub onto them. A class act and an astute mix of styles are the aural result. Indeed, a sonic wall for anger management therapy class attendees to beat on!
www.elektrohasch.de
Paul Martin

LES GODZILLAS
Greedangelamento ( Larsen; (10" MLP )
     I have been a great fan of the many Godzillas singles over the past few years, and this mini LP is just as much fun. Some reasons to love five French girls who think they are big green Japanese monsters; The shared vocals are charming, creating a sound that is part folk-rock, part New England Teen Scene. They never try to sIng out of their range and be 'ballsy rock chicks.' The guitars are never heavy, over-loud or forced. The instrumental playing is simple and direct but never amateurish and inept. Les Godzillas are able to transform the songs they cover, not by completely re-arranging them, but by the application of points 1 and 2, above. Even well known tunes like 'Can't Seem To Make You Mine' sound fresh and individual; 'naïve' in the original sense of the word.
     They sound good in English, French and Spanish, (See 'Quel Punto' on this album). Their rare originals are good tunes, such as 'Sunshine.'
     They can even make me like a song by The Fall, who usually turn me off immediately.
     The sleeve notes say this will be their last record, but don't explain why. Buy this and make them record another one!
www.larsen.asso.fr
Phil Suggitt

THE JET BLACK COMBO
Pure Rock, Primed, Not Polished (Hep Cat Records; CD)
     From Sweden. where rock'n'roll, is pumped straight into the water supply, this record could have made any time from the late seventies to the present there are hints of Crazy Cavan & the Rhythm Rockers and a whole bunch of the younger UK bands that came out during the early 1980s rockabilly
resurgence (I hate the word 'revival' ­ you can¹t revive something if it's never been gone!) and which has carried on around the world to this day. With an aesthetic straight out of the fifties but informed by the attitude of punk rock ­ and, after all, wasn't Elvis the first punk rocker? ­ These guys have a swagger and energy that keeps my hand from wanting to reach for the off button on my CD player right through all 13 tracks.
www.jetblackcombo.com
www.heptown.com/records
Murray Abisch

JOSIAH
Into the Outside (Molten; CD)
     Mucho machismo zipped up slick an' tight a la some half-ass, regurgitated, sub-Heads/ Stewed/ Bangtwister parody done had their balls snipped off. I know, I know, "If you haven't anything nice to say…" Yeah, well, 'less it's wrapped in Cellophane, meez don't do "nice", man. So… Josiah! Cop a tuff image an' crank it as loud as ya wanna – till the paint peels an' your ear-drums burst even - but remember this: If it ain't groovy, it ain't heavy see.
www.molten-records.com
Rex Thompson

SATCH KERANS
Elliot Street (CD; Satch Kerans)
     At first I thought Elliot Street was the name of the artist, not the title, as it is in much larger and bolder type. Satch is holding a shiny red Rickenbacker 6 string in all the liner photos, which gave me a good initial feeling which was confirmed on playing the CD. In short, this is a little gem. Kerans doesn't push any new buttons but he pushes some of the old ones really well.
     The title track is a little misleading as an opener, as it kicks off at pace in rocking style. For the first couple of minutes I thought it was a promising intro that wasn't going to lead anywhere, but, like many of the other songs, it has an unfussy, understated and catchy guitar figure that really does the trick. 'Heartbreak Road', with its big Bo Diddley, beat, is the only other rocker. Most of Kerans' tunes are less frenetic, with folk-rock style Dylanesque vocals and guitars that shine, chime and jangle. Sometimes, as on the excellent 'Hey, Don't Quit On Me, Babe' and 'Raven Haired Girl' Kerans' sound is slightly reminiscent of the vagabond rock troubadour style of Willie Nile, with elements of Petty and McGuinn – which is high praise not criticism. The tasteful use of harmonica in a folk-rock, rather than R&B style adds to the overall effect.
     Kerans' backing band are tight and the songs appear to be thoroughly road-tested. The Hammond organ of Mike Maciver deserves special mention, as it is crucial to the overall sound.
     The first four songs are great, but all eleven are consistently good. This CD appears to be self released but is well worth the trouble of tracking down.
www.satchk.com
Phil Suggitt

THE LORDS OF GRAVITY
Contact (Off The Hip; CD)
     Just in case you were in any doubt, the clear side of the CD jewel case is emblazoned with the words ' AUSTRALIAN GARAGE PUNK'.
     In case you weren't sure what type of garage, the Lords cover two of the timeless classics of Australian '60s beat/punk, 'Claudette Jones' and 'Come On', which are both done capably and with respect. The band have three writers in Ian Wettenhall, Evan Miller and Scott Riley, who are responsible for the other 10 along at pace, powered by the drumming of The Mickster in his quest to be in more bands than anyone else. This grows on you each time you listen to it. Check this one out, as you could easily miss the dull grey cover, (yet the aviation themed sleeve photos are great).
     There is a variety of styles, from Missing-Links style harp rave-ups, ('Poor Boy'), to a bunch of tuff-but-tuneful garage punkers that the Aussies do so well, particularly 'No Sunshine', Make Up Your Mind' and 'Cheating Kind'.
www.offthehip.com.au
Phil Suggitt

SPIKE PRIGGEN
Stars After Stars After Stars (Volare; CD)
     A covers album can be a risky proposition, but Spike Priggen has chosen his material with care and reworked it with style and panache. There are good versions of obscure tunes such as 'Be Married Song' by Ward Dotson, Spike's old buddy from his Liquor Giants days, and a Jacobites tune, 'Only Children Sleeping'. On both songs a lap steel is used to great effect and without any overtones of country. On tunes by slightly more well known artists, Spike and his band give the songs reverential and melodic makeovers. The original artists would barely recognise 'Questioningly' (The Ramones) or 'I'm 18' (Alice Cooper) but I am sure they would be pleased with the new versions. Spike has a good voice that sometimes has the breathy quality of Freedy Johnston, another power pop veteran who has yet to receive the success he deserves. At other times he reminds me of Michael Stipe; in other words the guy can really sing.
     After years playing as a sideman in classy US indie guitar bands like The Liquor Giants and Dumptruck, Spike's released his first album in 2001. The self-penned tunes received such critical acclaim that I'd like to track down a copy, as his approach to covers shows style and flair.
www.spikepriggen.com
Phil Suggitt

RAISING SAND
Riding the Blinds (Catfish Entertainment; CD-EP)
     Playing heavy rock these days, do you go for the tongue-in-cheek theatricality of The Darkness or do you try to make some real balls-out rock'n'roll stomp like The Datsuns? This bunch seem to have settled somewhere in the  middle. But unlike the two above named they take themselves way too seriously. These guys mean it, man. The songs aren't bad at all though, they know their genre very well, and they play them well too with some  nice flourishes and a good headbangin'¹ vibe throughout. It's hard to tell from the photographs on the sleeve but, judging by what I hear, I'd guess they're rather green youngsters.
www.raisingsand.co.uk
Murray Abisch

RINALDI SINGS
What's It All About? ( Tangerine; CD)
     "Saturday Night at one am in the smoky high altar of pop nightlife that is the Bag O'Nails club near Carnaby Street. The crowd are clapping and singing and the MC is dragging Rinaldi Sings back for a reprise of 'Heaven Knows'. Smartly dressed as ever..Steve Rinaldi looks deep into the mass of excitable dolly birds and dapper mods."
     So begin the witty liner notes to this CD. They are only partially tongue-in-cheek; but Steve Rinaldi really is living out his 60's pop fantasies and dreams here. I suspect he would like to take a Tardis to the mythical Swinging London that only partially existed. In the middle of the liner booklet is a great old B&W photo of a Top of The Pops set, c.1965, manipulated to include Rinaldi as the star attraction!
     After several years in the mod band The Moment, singer, trombonist and multi-instrumentalist Rinaldi has created an album as joyfully retro as can be. The sound is big, bright, upbeat, danceable and cheerful. Most of the self-penned songs have brass, organ, girly backing vox and a back beat. Rinaldi arranged the string and brass sections himself for this unashamedly pop collection. The sound is familiar but hard to place – part Northern Soul, part easy listening, part mid-60's chart pop. A good cover of the theme tune to 'The Protectors' sneaks into early '70s territory, but it sounds a lot earlier. On his website Renaldi describes the sound as "Late 60's bubblegum soul", in the style of Love Affair and The Foundations. And I can't say fairer than that.
     If, like me, you yearn for great dance floor music that isn't made by machines for robots, this is for you. As the liners say, "We have seen nothing like it since Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon stormed the Revolution Club in 1967".
www.RinaldiSings.com
www.TangerineRecords.info
Phil Suggitt

THE SPONGETONES
Number Nine (Loaded Goat; CD)
     After 25 years and nine albums together as a band, it's not surprising that North Carolina's Spongetones are a seamless pop unit. The band has a devoted fan base who have financially contributed to the making of this CD.
     Since the early days I have missed some of their later releases, which are difficult to find in Europe, but the songs on this album are as beautifully sung and impeccably played as ever. It is impossible to actively dislike any of their tunes.. At their best, they can produce classic pop such as the intriguing 'Metal Mother World', which has heavenly harmonies on a chorus of 'Fiat Lux'. There are many other strong songs like the ballad 'Alayna' but at times they are too polite and restrained, bordering on the pleasant. Despite their intriguing titles, such as 'Homonym Girl' and 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment' some of their songs fall into the soft-pop trap of being rather 'nice' and tuneful, but difficult to get worked up about. The opener, 'AnyWay Town' is a case in point; it retains some of The Beatles-ish flavour of The Spongetones' early days, but lacks the brash, up-front mono punch and hooks of classic Mersey beat. This is not a call for the band to knock out crude punk-pop, but to try for the melodic imagination of the aforementioned 'Metal Mother World' in all their material.
www.spongetones.com
Phil Suggitt

THE SUPAHIP
Seize The World (Big Radio; CD)
     The Supahip are a side project, a duo comprising Australian power pop singer, songwriter and producer Michael Carpenter and songwriter Mark Moldre. Michael has produced or written some classic modern pop records, although I confess ignorance of Mark's band Hitchcock's Regret.
     Like many side projects, this album has many good points but is a little less than the sum of its parts. Carpenter and Moldre have gone for spontaneity, entering the studio in the morning with a basic idea, and not leaving until the song is complete. I love the idea, as I share their belief that far too many modern records are over produced. Whilst many terrific records have been written in five minutes and recorded in one inspired take, this isn't the approach here. The Supahip are such good musicians, producers and arrangers that all the songs sound very slick, multi-layered and well produced, even though the whole album only took 13 days in total. You even get 10 mono versions in addition to the 12 stereo versions, as these are significantly different, punchier mixes.
     I can appreciate that writers feel the need to branch out into different styles, but the wide variety of styles doesn't help. Whilst there are several decent pop songs, the excursions into 'indie pop rants, country and grooves' leave me cold and make for an inconsistent collection. With the exception of the excellent 'Satellite', many of the pop songs are pleasant and listenable without being as striking and memorable as Carpenter's other work. The duo succeeds in producing a cool version of a song by an artist who is currently regarded as unhip, Nik Kershaw's 'Wouldn't It Be Good', but it is the most memorable song.
www.bigradio.com.au
www.notlame.com
Phil Suggitt