GREG AARON
Rings In spaces (GAS; CD)
     Many records are highly predictable, so that you know exactly when the chorus is going to come in and exactly what the next song is going to sound like. Greg has taken a subtler and more varied approach, but he might do well to try working with a different producer.
     Sometimes 'less is more', but many of these songs are crying out for a less sparse approach and a bigger, brasher, poppier production. Several songs have a quiet piano part, prominent vocals and drums but the tunes don't come through because the other instruments are used too sparsely or are low in the mix. 'Quiet Power' is a very strong, emotive song with positive lyrics and great percussion. It builds well with a large gospel chorus. It's a shame that some of the other tunes aren't as strong – you expect them to take off or a main melody line to come in but it doesn't happen. Although there are interesting elements in individual songs, such as the string part in 'Small Talk'.
www.gregaaron.com
Phil Suggitt

FRANK BROWN
Out of the Blue (Record Cellar; CD)
     The opener 'She Just Wants To Be Loved' is a memorable and upbeat pop tune. It's a pity that the rest of the songs are less direct and punchy. Frank Brown has an interesting 'adult' voice; not adult in the sense of the dreaded AOR rock, but in the sense that he sounds as if he's been around a bit and seen life. Most of the songs are mid-paced melodic roots pop, and whilst being pleasant and well-played they lack a distinctive something to make them stand out from the increasingly large roots-pop crowd.
www.record-cellar.com
Phil Suggitt

BBQ
Tie Your Noose (Bomp; CD)
     How many one-man bands are there out there these days? I'm losing count! And why do they do it? No one else wants to be in a band with them? Well, whatever… The first thing you should know is that this one man comprises Mr Mark Sultan, whose most recent band was, as far as I know, Les Sexareenos. I think maybe he was also in The Spaceshits as he is from Montreal and has recently been playing shows around Europe with a chap who these days styles himself King Khan and who himself used to be in said band.
     So what've we got? Most one-man bands tend to stick to yer basic blues, sometimes punking it up a bit, y'know, the stomping on the floorboards, and hollering and hooting kinda thing. (The main exception being a Frenchman called Petit Vodo who is more manic, and the best one-man band I've seen so far.) What BBQ does is more or less primitive sounding rockabilly with a bit of a garage-rock vibe thrown in for good measure here and there. Unlike many of these sort of albums there is a good deal of variety in the tunes on offer. (On a couple of songs his vocals take on a bit of a black vocal group sort of feel, which makes for a nice change.)
     So if you like the one-man band stuff you've heard already then I'd recommend this to you very highly. Especially for his version of 'Out of Time'. I always thought The Rolling Stones version was boring, but not this one with his 'C'mon Everybody' riff perking it up!
www.angelfire.com/rnb/marksultan/
www.bomp.com
Murray Abisch

THE BLOODY TEARS
Downhanded (Licorice Tree; CD)
     On the CD cover a girl is putting on her lipstick ready to go out. Open the booklet and she has discarded her shoes so she can Swim, Watusi and Boogaloo across the dance floor! This is an 'Austin dance party' from a six-piece band of experienced local musicians from several other bands, a really swingin' mix of classic '60s style soul, R&B and pop. This is easily the most impressive release so far from local Austin label Licorice Tree records. The Tears sound like a storming live outfit, as they immediately set feet tapping and hips shaking. The band immediately set their party cards on the table with a raucous cover of 'C'mon Up'. There is a very strong mix of energetic soul and pop covers, such as 'C'mon and Swim', mixed with originals by lead singer and leader Eric Makowski. Some of his tunes, such as 'Talkin' With Your Baby' sound like obscure Arthur Alexander numbers, but aren't! The playing is really assured, with generous helpings of organ and harmonica as well as two guitars. What, you still aren't out on the floor?
www.licoricetree.com
Phil Suggitt

CIVET
Massacre (Disaster; CD)
     There's punk rock and there's punk rock and then there's crap like this. The band name is crap, the album title is crap and the music is…well…
     They're from the Orange County area of California but have none of that sunny west coast vibe at all (and that would normally be a good thing by my reckoning). But no, they're quite the opposite of mellow…
     They sound loud and pissed off, to say the least. (Now, that is often a good thing in my book.) But this lot sound like The Distillers – if Brody & co had absolutely no commercial ambition whatsoever. But then what would you expect from a record produced by Duane Peters? Mind you, if you like the bands Peters has been in then you might actually enjoy this too.
     As far as I'm concerned, there's room enough in this world for all kinds of music. And, I love a good bit of punk rock myself, but this stuff just isn't for me. Okay, there are tons of people out there who'll have a different opinion, of course. And if that's you then I'm quite sure this review is quite capable of making you go out and buy this album without me having to say anything nice about it for your benefit. Besides which, I'm sure there's a lot of punk boys out there that'll pick this up, anyway, simply because they're four good looking just-out-of-school teenage girls.
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/Disaster.html
Murray Abisch

THE DEADBEATS
Long Hard Nights (Rock Alliance; CD)
     This is the type of thing that often gets called garage-rock but which really isn't. It's actually coming more from that sorta riff-laden post-beat/post-psych but pre-punk rock'n'roll kind of sound. If I want to be lazy I could say it's a mixture of The Datsuns and Kings of Leon. But, yeah, that is very lazy. There's more to The Deadbeats than that. As a band they are quite capable of standing up on their own without such comparisons.
     These guys are, I think, coming up with tunes that ought to be able to get more mainstream attention than the stuff I usually get to listen to. Yeah, they've got songs. They play 'em well. They've got some personality. They've got what it takes. If you like fellow Swedish bands like Mando Diao or The Sewergrooves, then you'll dig The Deadbeats too.
www.thedeadbeats.dk
www.rockalliance.net
Murray Abisch

DEMON'S CLAWS
S/T (Dead Canary; CD)
     Is he singing in English? Is it another language? I really can't tell. It sounds like a drunk slurring along to a rockabilly/garage band comprised of people that have never met each other before let alone rehearsed any actual songs together. Now everyone who knows me probably thinks I love trashy, punky, rock'n'roll – and, sure, I do. But no matter what kind of music you're talking about there's one thing that just has to come first. And that, my friends, is the song. You gotta have songs. When this CD finishes not one tune has stayed in my head. All I'm left with is this annoying feeling from the awfulness of the singer's vocal style.
www.demonsclaws.com
www.deadcanaryrecords.com
Murray Abisch

THE GREAT SHAKES
Americana Bebop ( Rich & Sexy; CD EP)
     Americana Bebop is the title song of this five song EP by New York's' Great Shakes. Rest assured that you won't find a fusion of these musical genres anywhere on the record. The song itself is a catchy, anthemic melodic modern rock tune. Without wishing to imply that the music is derivative, The Great Shakes' overall sound has a feel ofLondon Calling era Clash, which is certainly no bad thing. Cool band name, cool cover art.
www.richandsexyinc.com
Phil Suggitt

THE HOLLOW POINTS
The Black Spot (Disaster; CD)      Huh?! Why are record labels sending stuff like this to Shindig! magazine? Politically I am totally with these guys. In 'The Sickness' they sing about "America the state of hate" where "Halliburton sets the score to reap the benefits of war". But musically, I don't think I'll find many Shindig! readers that will be running out to buy this. Another Duane Peters production, this is ultra-fast punk rock mixed with metal, throat-shredding vocals and all. In amongst the many sound-a-like bands on that punk/metal scene I'd venture to say that System of a Down are one of very few groups with any originality, with much of interest to non-fans (and by "fans" I do mean "fanatics" – y'know, the spotty-faced kids who only ever wear black t-shirts featuring details of their favourite band's last tour). And The Hollow Points do their darn best to sound just like those Armenian-Americans known as SOAD.
www.thehollowpoints.com
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/Disaster.html
Murray Abisch

THE INVISIBLE SURFERS
Dogs Killa Cat Hitch Hyke; CD) (2005 Demo.)
     Dogs Killa Cat has been released in Greece for a while, but the Greek surf trio are attempting to seek wider recognition through a demo of newer tunes. Pity about the CD title…don't they know we tourists just love those cute cats that live in Greek holiday resorts, the calendar pin-ups of 'Kitty Cats of The Aegean Isles'?
     The Invisible surfers follow in the tradition of that fine Greek garage band The Last Drive, who included some surf instros on their '80s albums. The playing is tight and several tunes like the opener, 'Poison Pussy' (ahem, these chaps seem to have a thing about pussies) have catchy riffs and rhythms. Whilst the album and the demo are entertaining and similar in style, they demonstrate the limitations of the surf trio format. Alex Berekos is a decent guitarist, but it's really hard to sustain the momentum and inject sufficient variety for a whole album when a single guitar has to carry all the tunes. After a while some of the less distinctive tunes tend to blend into each other and become background music. The choice of covers doesn't help, as the likes of 'Malaguena' and 'Rumble' are among the commonest and most played songs in the surf/instro canon.
     The Invisibles are a decent surf band, but if they are to rise above the crowd into the premier division they need to experiment with different instruments and vary the mood. The group bio suggests they draw on traditional Greek musical styles as well as garage, surf and spaghetti westerns, but I can't hear any traces of this. Perhaps they could incorporate instruments and ideas from the tradition of Greek music with their predominantly American sound.
http://www.instromania.net/ART/ART_I/INVISIBLE%20SURFERS%20The.html
Phil Suggitt

THE LEN PRICE 3
Chinese Burn (Laughing Outlaw; CD)      The latest in a long line of garage bands to emerge from the banks of the River Medway in North Kent, The Len Price 3 follow in the hallowed footsteps of The Milkshakes et al and do so in fine style with a strong harmony sound not unlike the long gone Kravin' A's and Goodchilde. And yes, they're true Medway children. They have that winning combination of cheap old gear, '60s influences, generous dollops of Kinks, Link, Bo, Beatles, and simply arranged beat driven tunes that spell FUN! Our only reservation is the inclusion of a cover of 'Comanche', a song Billy Childish has almost made his own over the years. And it's much too clean!! A misfired tribute perhaps?
     First track on the album, and new 45, 'Christian in the Desert' starts off sounding like 'All Day and All of the Night' and then reminds one of The Buff Medways at their best, before turning into something that sounds like nothing other than The Len Price 3. But that said, the aforementioned Milkshakes are a more obvious influence throughout – and it's nice to see Mickey Hampshire as a source of inspiration for a change.
     The 15 tunes here do not pretend to be radically new or original, but they never outstay their welcome. Wham bam, thank you mam, the whole 'heady mix of punk, beat and freakbeat' is all over in half an hour. But these guys are no average garage-punk band – they bring more to the (turn)table than basic three-chord rock'n'roll. The psychedelicisms of another Medway band, The Dentists, are also in evidence. Alongside the typical Medway beat stompers, there are also Beatles/Hollies style harmonies delivered with a sweetness that makes The Who/Kinks meets seventies punk rock swagger of other songs hit you like a punch in the gut.
An all-round great debut!
www.thelenprice3.co.uk
www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
Murray Abisch and Phil Suggitt

THE LOST 45s UK
Ivy / The Man That Time Forgot (Demo; CD)
     A new Leeds based act that share the same 'lads' look and '60s influences as Scousers The Coral. 'Ivy' is yet another rework of 'Gloria', with a pleasant pop edge, whilst the slower 'The Man That Time Forgot' outstays its welcome after initial promise. You're halfway there chaps…
www.thelost45suk.co.uk
Mike Maroon

DANNY McDONALD
Fibrotones (Off The Hip; CD)
     A good example of the modern big beaty guitar power pop sound the Australians do so well. Danny's songs are up beat, happy and fun. He hasn't yet written the stop-'em-in-their-tracks classic he is capable of, but until then this will do nicely.
     Especially impressive are the lyrical references to Australian culture. Danny goes beyond the expected references to sun and surf. His songs hang from 'ragged old gums' or have titles like '5 Years in Malabar as a Brickies' Labourer.' Incidentally, this is one of the strongest tunes on the album, and contains this peerless ode to Aussie surf culture; "I'm gonna end my working week with a carton of VB, c'mon let's build a bonfire on the beach…" What, only one carton, Danny? The 24 pack I trust. Rather than trot out predictable love songs, Danny writes about the places and people he knows. We've had enough songs about The Hotel California, let's have more about The Espy in Melbourne.
www.dannymcdonald.com.au
http://www.offthehip.com.au/
Phil Suggitt

STEVE MAYONE
Bedroom Rockstar (Umver; CD)
     The first three songs on this self-produced album are really well crafted power pop of the classic B-band variety. The opener, 'Losing You' builds nicely, and it's hard to resist the punchy 'Sweetest Thing' or the hooks of 'Other Side'. Steve's song writing takes a different turn on the next few songs, where he proves himself equally adept at country ballads based on banjo and fiddle. For the rest of the album he switches easily from rootsy Americana to the simple but direct pop of the title track, then moving to fine male/female vocal duets. Whatever style he plays in, Mayone has a knack for a good tune. I hope Americana fans aren't put off by his pop songs, and vice versa.
www.stevemayone.com
Phil Suggitt

THE SLOW SLUSHY BOYS
Love And Affection (B-Soul; 10" LP)
     It may or may not be significant that this album appears on B-Soul records, the soul/R&B imprint of Larsen records, headed by chief Slushy Boy Denis. All the bands' previous LPs have been issued on Larsen, which has championed international garage punk since the late '80s. Over the past few years the band's reverence for '60s soul and R&B has made them evolve a unique sound, based on the classic Hammond grooves of Axel. This album is split 50/50 between reverent but swinging versions of '60s classics and equally fine originals. Originals like 'Without You' fit nicely with the likes of Ike Turner's 'I'm Gonna Forget About You'.
     The Slushy Boys pull off the neat trick of acknowledging their garage beat roots whilst playing a type of music that is incredibly rare these days - dance music with heart and soul. In my alternate universe they would have huge dance chart hits, but I guess it's not gonna happen in the real world, where Slushy Boys albums only appear on vinyl (with a neat kitsch cartoon sleeve in the style of some of those '60s soul LPs) and their live performances are mostly restricted to the French Alps.
www.larsen.asso.fr
Phil Suggitt

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Planet Of the Popboomerang Vol. 2 ( Popboomerang; 2-CD)
     This is a terrific contemporary power pop collection. The whole package has been compiled with loving care. There are 46 songs overall, with interesting song notes explaining provenance and inspiration, written by the artists. In addition the artwork is very cool, with lava lamps from the ceiling and robot dancing girls. On the cover a mad professor exclaims "World domination takes two –baby!" as disc one is a transworld collection, (13 out of the 23 songs are Australian). The second CD contains another 23 American tunes.
     Both discs are like a good party – you meet some old and treasured friends, have fun with some casual acquaintances and meet some completely new people. In my case the old, old friends include Bobby Sutliff, (the excellent 'Lorelei'), Scotland's Cosmic Rough Riders, Cloud Eleven and Michael Carpenter. Notable among the brand new mates are Ricky, with the breezy 'That Extra Mile' and American's The Bedsit Poets, with connections to the ever-tuneful Pete and Maura Kennedy. The only bizarre inclusion is a Jeremy's version of the US national anthem which kicks off the American CD and palls in comparison to the Hendrix version. It is weirdly incongruous – after all, the Australian version doesn't start with a psychedelic rendering of 'Waltzing Matilda'. Luckily Jeremy makes up for his mistake with the later jangle of 'Here To Stay.'
www.popboomerang.com
Phil Suggitt

THE VESTALS
The Vestals (Warming House; CD)
     The vocal talents of The Vestals' two guitarists and songwriters, Jeremy and Ben Gordon are immediately apparent. Separately, they are good singers; together, they can produce superb harmonies, which burst through to great effect on the first two songs, 'Seven Hours' and 'Telescope.' Consciously or unconsciously the sound is influenced by classic power pop from the past, such as the fine 'Another Way to Kill Me', which has reverential dollops of Jellyfish and The Beatles whilst remaining a fine up beat pop tune in it's own right.
     Some of the songs take a while to get inside your head, as the brothers frequently reject the traditional pop song structures in search of something new and original. Sometimes this approach really works, and guitars or vocals appear when you aren't expecting them. On some of the quieter and slower paced songs pace and dynamics are lacking. I hoped that tunes like 'Before The Color Dries' and 'Childhood Timeouts' would lead up to memorable choruses and hooks, but they tend towards minor league singer-songwriter material. I am not suggesting the brothers abandon their original approaches and write clichéd formulaic tunes instead. Some of the songs here are excellent, particularly the more up beat tunes. This album indicates that the band have the potential to write a whole album of really top notch material to match their vocal talents.
     A footnote on cover design; it seems that the golden age of classic cover design has gone. With i-pods and mail order internet sales, some smaller record companies seem to have given up on sleeve designs that might once have attracted the casual record shop browser. For example, the sepia photos of a little girl in a garden and a Victorian matron may have significance for the band, but they give the misleading impression that this is should be filed under Americana!
www.thevestals.com
Phil Suggitt

GINA VILLALOBOS
Rock'n'Roll Pony ( Laughing Outlaw; CD)
     The Laughing Outlaw label has two strands – power pop and roots Americana. Despite the rather misleading title this album sits predominantly in the latter camp, with lots of pedal steel and a vocal style in the tradition of rootsy female pop. World Party's 'Put The Message In The Box' is given a solid treatment and the self-penned tunes such as 'Not Enough' appear to be quite promising. There's a great deal of this sort of material in the U.S. market, and although Gina has a good voice, her songs don't yet stand out from the large crowd.
www.ginavillalobos.com
www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
Phil Suggitt