EL RAY
Tick, Tick, Tick (Heptown; CD)
I would begin by shouting ‘cowabunga!’ but it’s not really my style. If any contemporary surf guitar instro set deserved such an outburst however, it’s this one. An
eleven track, 27 minute-long CD of Dick Daleisms with punch to spare. I thoroughly enjoyed this disc, an exciting Tarantinoesque splurge of reverb and loudness that comes as a breath of fresh air. Titles are largely irrelevant in these circumstances, except as markers, but you may care to know they have names like ‘The Danger Of TV Radiation’, ‘The Manic Shoplifter’ and ‘The Agent Versus The Next Mexican’. None of which really indicates anything much, as this is a disc best experienced as one sonic ear splitting roller-coaster ride right across its entirety. Well done Senor Ray and more like it please!
www.heptown.com
Paul Martin
THEE EXCITERS
Johnny’s Too Messed Up / Out Of My Hands / Mummy’s Little Boy (Delincuentes; 45)
Disclaimer: Bassist Lee Tea played with me in The Nuthins back in ’91-’93 … but anyhow…
The rest of Southampton’s Exciters may be a lot younger than my old brother-in-arms, but he doesn’t hold these kids back. Oh no. In fact, the influence of Lee ‘Ain’t Gonna Miss Ya’ Tea’ is all over this disc. Taking a nod back to the heavy Detroit sounds of Thee Hypnotics’ fuzz (‘Johnny’s Too Messed Up’. ‘Revolution Stone’ anyone?), 80’s garage (with lotsa fuzz) and modern celebs like The Hives and The White Stripes Thee Exciters stand out from the crowd of other garage wannabees. Why? Because they’re educated. Know the sound… and know where they wanna come from. The guitar is rockin’!!! And throwing in some classic ‘60s garage elements – the stuff us old hounds were raised on – into the punky equation, The Exciters seem to be as their name suggests… So: not a bunch of dildos after all.
theexciters@aol.com
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
THE MAINLINERS
‘Dead Man’s Hall’ / ‘Daughter Of Dimes’ (Crusher Records; 45)
This latest addition to the very healthy Swedish garage scene may not be as good as
The Strollers or label boss Peter’s band The Roadrunners, but it’s not too far behind them in its youthful garage rock stakes. The Mainliners of course, look the part… and they sound nearly as good as they dress. ‘Dead Man’s Hall’ is all upset-white-kid-doing-James-Brown and has a bit of The Creeps about it (but without the subtle operatics of Robert’s voice). The flip captures the band in Stones territory and is a nice blend between the ’64-era and the Beggars/Exile raunch. When will Sweden stop being so darned cool and on the ball when it comes to getting youthful rock and roll music off pat?
www.themainliners.com
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
LISA MYCHOLS
Sweet Sinsations (Rev-Ola; CD)
Fans of Ms. Mychols have been waiting with baited breath for the release of this, the follow-up to her much acclaimed Christmas album, Lost Winter’s Dream…and it was well
worth the wait. Sweet Sinsations is packed with fun, upbeat tunes which greatly echo the hip, unpretentious images of “go-go bands” playing at ‘60s Los Angeles venues like Pandoras Box, with the groovy keyboards of Tom Richards (singer/songwriter of the great L.A. band The Waking Hours, in which Mychols plays bass) neatly emphasizing the point. Songs like “Living Doll,” “Gonna Get That Boy,” “Hit Big,” and “Rock In The City (Tonight)” are exemplars of this style. “Rocket To Mars” would fit perfectly on the soundtrack to a children’s fantasy film, “Oh! To Be In Love” is soft pop at its finest, “Las Brisas Sun” is a beautiful, spare ballad showcasing the richness of Mychols’ voice and recalling the best moments on Lost Winters Dream, and “Fun Fair/Old Memories” puts a new spin on the melodies of the classic Billy Jack theme, “One Tin Soldier”. It’s almost a shame that the supporting cast on Sweet Sinsations (essentially the aforementioned Richards, Waking Hours drummer Ricky Tubb, and bassist Steve Kobashagawa) are men. Otherwise, Mychols and her band could have been The Carrie Nations of the New Millennium.
www.revola.co.uk
David Bash
NEO
Neo (Sleeping City; CD)
Like The Wondermints NEO’s youthful Carl Wilson/Gerry Love vocals and fine scope in sunshine pop and breezy early ‘70s FM radio soundalikes offer the listener an array of timeless pop sensibilities, wonderfully played and sung. The sometimes-sterile-synth production may distract from being able to become fully immersed in the ornate pseudo-orchestrations, but when left to the basic necessities of jangling guitars and great harmonies, it’s sublime. Real good.
http://thyrdeye.tripod.com/
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
THE OWSLEY SUNSHINE
Another Kind Of Summer (Start A Riot; CD)
Well. Well. Well. These Scottish lads are proving quite a force to be reckoned with, even if they are still a bit green and too wide reaching in the genres they embrace: opener
‘Designed To Make You Feel Good’s 80’s garage vibe, resplendent with tinny farfisa and psych-out guitar motifs, although ably handled, and closer ‘Sonic Screwdriver’s Ringo circular drums pattern and trippy humour, which is ill advised, are nothing like the eight songs they bookend. Sometimes over eagerness can result in failure. But when the Owsleys do what they do it’s good, somewhat like Supergrass at their most Beatlesy psych, marked by ingenious changes, counter-melodies, superb vocals and dynamic, mature playing head and shoulders above the average indie rocker. Sometimes though the influences, as in the 100% Badfinger pastiche ‘Lessons On A Quiet Life’ are a little bit too apparent– but then influences have never swayed a SD scribe before have they? I far prefer these guy’s confirmed ‘60s/pop stance to media darling Frans Ferdinand’s 80’s art school schtick, and considering the major press have been favourable about these fellows Scots (they’re from “the new Liverpool” Glasgow too doncha know) there’s even a little hope that they might break through. I hope so, as we’re sorely in need of some highly crafted pop to woo the kids, aren’t we?
startariot_records@hotmail.com
www.theowsleysunshine.tk/
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
LES PHILIPPES
Philharmonic Philanthropy (B Core; CD)
This album was released last November but few beyond its native Spain were alerted to its charms at the time. Last month I was blown away by Les Philippes’ show at Felipop in Spain and approached them about getting hold of their album. Sadly, they weren’t
carrying copies so I waited until I got home and I waited and I waited and finally here it is!
Philharmonic Philanthropy is a no holds barred pop album made by four young 60’s music nutters (all related by the way, hence the name) from Sant Boi de Llobregat near Barcelona who, presumably not happy enough having written a bunch of sweet and sexy psych-pop gems, decide to track down Mark "Teenage Opera" Wirtz and invite him to come to Spain and shape them into an album. This he duly did for a month and the resulting long-player bears his unmistakable touch without ever obscuring the talent of the musicians whose songs and performances he captured.
Book-ended by ‘Lens Overture’ and ‘Lens Closure’ we have 13 pop masterpieces, each one a perfectly formed confection and all sung in English for us dumb Brits. In fact, Les Philippes’ grasp of the language may outshine that of your average Londoner! Song titles like ‘Sticking Plaster Sales Girl’, ‘Manure And The Empty Characters’ and ‘(You’re My) Cabaret Song’ deserve your attention more than virtually all of these half-baked British and American acts who try so desperately to dredge up the musical past without ever coming close to even beginning to understand what was so good about it in the first place.
This album puts a smile on my face every time I hear it and it’s a damn shame that so few people are destined to hear it. Try and get yourself a copy.
http://www.bcoredisc.com/
Andy Morten
THE PUBERT BROWN-FRIDGE OCCURENCE
A Once & Future Thing (Laughing Outlaw; CD)
Older folk retrace their formative years with some fairly decent songs, but without, cool, suss or pizzazz. Consisting of Radio Birdman's Jim Dickson and X members Steve Lucas
and Geoff Holmes Pubert Brown make a form of music, that to me at least, would sound more suitable as incidental music for kid's TV rather than kaleidoscopic vibrations to freak out to. Although we do get decent Kinks and Move parodies (these folk love their 60's bands, and their homage, does indeed come over as heartfelt and studied) the crisp production and occasional annoying female vocals detract greatly -- and the whole thing just doesn't really reciprocate the groovy music made by the kids that they aspire to. Nevertheless, the performances are competent, and a few songs (like closer 'Don't Cry No Tears') are superb. I just want a bit more from my music.
www.laughingoutlaw.com.au
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
THE RIPPERS
… are coming behind you (Shake Your Ass Records; 45)
Okay schoolboys stop that sniggering in the back row. Immediately. These Italian chaps have a limited command of Queen’s English… but this isn’t about correct English or, even, faux pas (see, I can do French too). The Rippers deal in primitive, whining, snotty garage modelled on The Gravedigger V/Morlocks doing 60’s R&B. And they finally have it down to a tee. It’s none too easy on the ear or the slightest bit melodic, but it has phlegm! And I can dig it… One for the perpetual caveteen!
therippers@inwind.it
www.syarecords.it
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
THE SAFES
Family Jewels (O’Brothers Records; CD)
Well, all four members are named Malley, but weather that’s Malley as in related individuals or Malley as in The Ramones who were not I don’t know. Anyway, what you have here is a half-hour’s worth of pop punk with varying degrees of light and shade; slows down, speeds up, sings then shouts, you know. Good stuff to fuel up on, it works well and gets you all gritty-teethed and clenched fisted. All eleven songs have something to offer and have an air of having been thought about rather than just being spasmatic knee-jerk riffing. Sounds like a group that might do greater things if they can stick at it. If you like the pop-punk sound this bunch will serve you well.
www.thesafes.com
Paul Martin
THE UNCLE DEVIL SHOW
A Terrible Beauty (P3 Music; CD)
I had a feeling A Terrible Beauty wasn’t going to be a regular album and boy, was I right. The meticulously constructed Strangeloves pastiche sleeve and the fact that those three guys are plainly hiding behind those wigs and moustaches immediately set alarm bells ringing. 60 seconds into opener ‘Leonardo’s Bicycle’ I realised this wasn’t some
pointless garage piss-take; 60 seconds later when the track breaks down in a mass of overlapping Association-style harmonies I’d already convinced myself this would be the only good track on the album; 120 seconds later ‘Gilbert O’Sullivan’ had me laughing out loud at it’s lyrics and unfeasible catchiness; 120 seconds later I’d been plunged into another a capella freakout; 43 minutes later I’d made a new friend for life.
A Terrible Beauty is the first record I’ve become addicted to – I mean, seriously unable to live without hearing from day to day – since Cotton Mather’s Kontiki in 1997. There are sonic and stylistic similarities between the two but that’s not the reason. The Uncle Devil Show are actually quite well-known musicians whose regular bands I won’t divulge for fear of scaring you off if you’ve stuck with me this far. Conversely, this is not some Dukes Of Stratosphear ‘affectionate homage’ type deal although there are references a-plenty for those who like a dash of ’68 with their contemporary. It’s basically cheaply-recorded guitar pop but the quality of the writing, playing and singing (ahh, those vocals) lift it so far above the pack it can sometimes seem as though you’ve never heard people harmonising before. It contains the most profanities I’ve ever heard on a rock record, almost all of which still raise a smile 20-odd listens later. It contains songs about tambourines, Z-list TV celebrities, killing pigeons and unconvincing transvestites (“I’m a lady!”) and references to Jimmy Saville, rolos, Michael Barrymore, Norwich, Lois Lane and The Daily Record. There are lyrics that vary from the sublime (“she’s the kind of girl you would suffer for / as long as she kept making as she slept / that little claw that she hooks up around her jaw”) to the ridiculous (“I’m terminally wankered with a poodle on my knee”) but are never less than wonderful.
While this initially dizzying streak of humour runs through the whole album, it’s only played for laughs once or twice which prevents it ever erring on the side of tiresome. Every song (maybe except for the cover of Helen Reddy’s ‘Angie Baby’ which isn’t bad by any means but appears at track six and as such unnecessarily breaks the album in two) has that ‘more’ factor in abundance – I had to play the whole thing again twice before I felt like I’d really heard it all – and there enough hooks, choruses and memorable pay-offs to keep you coming back again and again.
An unqualified success and my album of the year by a mile.
www.theuncledevilshow.com
Andy Morten
VARIOUS ARTISTS
A Box Of Odd (Sheffield Phonograph Corporation; CD)
Well this gets my vote for the most attractively presented CD compilation this year. A beautiful glossy booklet full of colourful pics and Victorian whimsy that was so much a part of the Rubble series cover art. Congratulations then Missy Tassles whose handy work the design is (missy@tassles.fsnet.co.uk). There are also several fictional (?) tales
written in a faux Victorian manner (which Shindig’s Major Psychosis would most readily recognise!) on the box of odd and its contents etc. All in all a great piece of packaging.
You would expect then with such visual and stylistic credentials to experience aurally some gossamer light neo-popsike or garden fresh acid folk, possibly even some good old wah-wah soaked, phased vocalised retro psych proper. Alas not. The contents are retro garage thrash. There’s a lot to like in the songs and of the idiom(s) they represent they are pretty good. It’s just that the packaging and the content are terribly mismatched. If you’re a garage fan you won’t appreciate the aesthetics of the packaging; if you’re a psych / sike fan, you won’t appreciate the content. Sad but true. Nonetheless if you have a broad enough remit and can reconcile the clash of sound with visuals, this is a useful collection of contemporary Sheffield neo garage and pop-punk mayhem that should be enjoyed on its own terms. You only have to look at the name of the opening act ’The Motherfuckers’ to realise this ain’t gonna be no stroll through a secret garden. Winners here include The Motherfuckers (good raunchy stuff on their two numbers, shame about the cod name); Beach Buggy (veterans of a few albums) with ‘The Driver’ and especially, my fave, ‘Deathray’. All girl (?) G.G. Action’s disc closer ‘Outta My Hair’ is a lot better than their earlier ‘Dirty Girl’ contribution and Chuck’s ‘Kill ’em All’ is a nice piece of guitar pound. Overall great packaging, good music, pity they don’t really fit each other. That said of course, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with either.
www.theeSPC.com
Paul Martin
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Shake (Biff Bang Pow; CD)
The first sampler on BBP is a collection of the now sound of the 60s. This is a good
little collection of interesting and energetic neo-mod and thrashy freak beat. Set opener is the ever-reliable Solar Flares with what sounds like a re-recording of the mighty ‘Get it Together’. Tom Hingley & The Lovers ‘Online’ has a similar hefty punch whilst the Gene Drayton Unit’s club soul instro take on Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ is a delight. The Embrook’s take on ‘Francis’s packs the wallop you would expect it to (watch out for their fab new album Yellow Stained Glass due out on 27th September) and scene veterans The Risk’s ‘New Religion’ almost makes you want to believe. Long-Tall Shorty’s ‘This Town’ is a classy number and Archive 45’s ‘Fancy Dress’ is a wonder on the ears. In general, this a 60 minute set of seventeen strong sixties via the noughties numbers which you owe it to yourself to own, mine’s going back on the CD changer tight now!
www.biffbangpow.org.uk
Paul Martin
