New


and washboard-fuelled Delta blues foot stompers (‘Two Left Feet’, ‘When He Comes’) and the ethereal lament ‘Dearly Departed’. Elsewhere, though, the Hansel & Gretel of retrospective country-blues are having a ball as they high-step it off the back porch for a country reel on the fiddle and banjo-blazin’ ‘Can’t Lose’ before entering country-psych-blues territory on Wreckless Eric’s ‘Murder In Mind’, a darkly humorous lesson in anger management. A recommended shot of the good stuff.


Alan Brown


THE GUNSLINGERS Manifest Zero World In Sound CD/LP www.worldinsound.com


When a record opens with a track called ‘The Spectre’s Sinister Commandment’ and comes plastered in pretentious


pronouncements, it


raises my heckles somewhat and gives credence to the school of thought that the neo- psych scene is just a knowing ironic nod and a wink to times passed. However, prejudices aside, this record is psychedelic punky experimental indie-rock with an energy that will wear you out despite its short half hour duration. The press release describes the band as “Rhythmically Cyclopean” (i.e. it’s rigidly one dimensional) and that’s the album’s main flaw. The initial thrill is hard to maintain even though the heavily treated Mark E Smith style vocal grows on you despite seeming incredibly annoying at first. This album is raucous, raw, vivid and


punishing, but also slightly empty in its dogged pursuit of one ideal. Sure at times it’s inventive, but then so is Sir Clive Sinclair. Austin Matthews


HIPBONE SLIM & THE KNEETREMBLERS The Kneeanderthal Sounds Of DELANEY DAVIDSON Self Decapitation Both Voodoo Rhythm CDs www.voodoorhythm.com


This latest pair of discs from Switzerland’s Voodoo Rhythm label includes the newest from England’s


Kneetremblers


OUTTA THE GARAGE Screamin’ all the way to the zoo!


THE KONGSMEN On Campus Soundflat LP/CD www.soundflat-records.de


Who are these rock ’n’ roll monkey men and why, as it’s claimed on the back of their debut LP, On Campus, do they wish to throw poop all over the place?


Supposedly, the furry five are on the lam from Madrid’s city zoo. It’s more likely, however, that until last May three of the group could be found donning turbans in the now defunct Barcelona- based R&B outfit The Fabulous Ottomans.


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combo, led by Hipbone Slim AKA Sir Bald Diddley. The three piece outfit is driven along by


some deftly executed string-scratchin’ and pumping stand up bass, spectacularly ruddered and anchored by the rattlin’ drums of Bruce “Bash” Brand. ‘Camel Neck’ is the most effective of the two instrumental cuts included, and has a plangent urgency about it, but it’s the almost combustible spirit of ‘Whatever Happened To My Love?’ and the Johnny Burnette-esque touch of ‘Gonna Give You Everything’ that jump out. Delaney Davidson is a wandering minstrel of


sorts. A multi-instrumentalist, he certainly knows his way around many a fine tune, evidenced here by convincing interpretations of Leadbelly’s ‘In The Pines’, Jelly Roll Morton’s outrageously scandalous ‘Dirty Dozen’ (Sex Pistols? Pah!) and his own reflective beauties such as ‘Little Heart’ and the Morricone-dusted, echo-laden whistler ‘Seasons Of God’. Davidson’s voice – pitched somewhere between Cash and Reed but quite unlike either – is a commanding instrument in itself, emphasising an old-timey, folk-blues persuasion. Lenny Helsing


ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS 3 Propellor Time Sartorial CD sartorialrecords.greedbag.com As a live performer Hitchcock remains as eccentric and engaging as ever. In the studio, though, it’s all got a bit bland in recent years. Surreal


lyrical flights of fantasy are in short supply once again – with the exception of ‘The Afterlight’ where the Monarch butterfly takes centre-stage – but at least this time round the laidback, semi-acoustic, live-in-the-studio vibe is matched to a set of achingly exquisite tunes. The best by far is ‘Evolove’, which in its


musings on God and evolution recalls Lennon in its lyrical directness. The title track, co- written with Peter Buck, meanders pleasantly in REM-ish fashion. Young whippersnapper Johnny Marr gets a co-writing credit on ‘Ordinary Millionaire’. Its subtle incorporation of cor anglais and sweeping chorus gives it a ’70s singer-songwriter feel. The presence of John Paul Jones no less on a couple of tracks playing understated mandolin adds to the reflective mood. Morris Windsor’s harmonies


Peel away the fur and beneath beat the hearts


of five swinging simians who enjoy partying to raw ’n’ raucous covers of monkey-themed novelty songs. Highlights include dance floor shakers like Chubby Checkers’s ‘Karate Monkey’, Baby Hue’s ‘Monkey Man’ and Rufus Thomas’s ‘Can Your Monkey Do The Dog’. You get the picture. Granted, the record is no giant leap for


mankind but it is one hell of a lotta fun. Alan Brown


THE REVELLIONS The Revellions Dirty Water CD www.dirtywaterrecords.co.uk At a time when many CD albums are too long, The Revellions have made a proper album – 30 minutes of fast and furious authentic sounding ’60s garage-punk. The band has successfully


are masterful throughout, providing a welcome link to The Soft Boys’ glory days. Carl Tweed


THE KAVANAGHS The Kavanaghs Eternal Sunday CD www.eternalsunday.com.ar ‘‘Is that a Beatles tune I don’t remember?’’ is the refrain from The Kavanaghs’ ‘English Town, English People’, and could easily be asked of most of the


tracks on their debut album. Making no secret of their affection for the fab four, Zombies et al, The Kavanaghs showcases charming harmonies and shimmering melodies: ‘Friday On My Mind’ (no relation) is irresistible sunshine ’n’ rain pop, ‘All The Time’ flowers with a joyful chorus and ‘Goodbye Chris’ is a gently swaying anthem that melts into the sound of the sea. Yet for all their loving re-craftings, The Kavanaghs show signs of their idiosyncrasy too; for example when ‘English Town’ takes a detour into an Argentine tango – nodding at the band’s origins – or when ‘Hyde Park’ blends the parochial with the bluesy. A little less reverence to their heroes and


The Kavanaghs will be more than capable of developing a distinctive sound of their own. Emma Stott


WILL KIMBROUGH Wings Daphne CD www.willkimbrough.com


Nashville


singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Will Kimbrough’s latest project not only features co-writes with Jimmy Buffett on the


carefree, harmonica-laced title track and Todd Snider (on the JJ Cale redolent advisory ‘It Ain’t Cool’) but a raft of new Kimbrough or Kimbrough- involved originals that prove folk-based and are lithely framed by atmospheric rock and soul- tinged arrangements (love the female chorus) that often recall the deceptively minimalistic collaborations of Nick Drake and Robert Kirby. Ravers include a couple of Country and


Eastern sounding titles (an unrelentingly mirthful ‘Three Angels’ and the mandolin/banjo enhanced panoramic elegy ‘You Can’t Go Home’), a Dylan-influenced saga titled ‘The


matched its exciting and tight live shows, blasting through 10 originals without a ballad in sight. All of the songs are


by guitarist James Lister


who also sings lead on seven tunes. Charismatic singer Ali Moore – part Phil May, part Jagger – joined during recording and sings on three tracks. Songs like ‘Ain’t No Fool’ are consistently exciting, with a fine sense of dynamics. Phil Suggitt


THE STAGS Do The Ton! Soundflat LP www.soundflat-records.de Wigan’s Stags tackle a variety of ’60s pop,


Day Of The Troubadour’ and the slowly unfurling, doleful ‘A Couple Hundred Miracles’, with some spine-tingling cello work by project co-producer David Henry. Worth searching out as undoubtedly are his


five earlier solo outings. Gary von Tersch


MAGIC CHRISTIAN Evolver Dirty Water CD www.dirtywaterrecords.co.uk Cyril Jordan – former leader of The Flamin’ Groovies – has benefited from a long time away from rock ’n’ roll. On Magic Christian’s first studio


album proper he seems to have relaxed, no longer aiming for global success, just playing for love. The high quality of this album is a relief after


the disappointment of the group’s first release, which was hurriedly recorded with weak vocals. This time the vocals of Paul Kopf and Jordan are excellent, especially on the Beatles-y numbers like the joyous rendition of ‘Anytime At All’ – one of the few covers. There are some real standouts like the extremely catchy ‘Share The Night’, and the splendid ‘Turn Up The Heat’ with an unlikely but effective vibes break. Jordan always offers original, distinctive


guitar breaks and fills, with no solos or showing off, always leaving you wanting more. There are one or two rather ordinary rock tunes that fail to ignite, such as ‘Gamblin’ Man’, but overall this is a treat for anyone with more than a passing interest in the Groovies and melodic ’60s-inspired pop. Phil Suggitt


THE MALIBOOZ Queen’s English The Pier Group CD www.malibooz.net


The Malibooz have been doing their thing since the early ’60s, fronted by the venerable John Zambetti and Walter Egan (remember


Egan’s Top 10 US hit of 1978, ‘Magnet and Steel’?) and, like fine wine, have aged to perfection. Queen’s English was inspired by The Malibooz’ 2004 appearance at The Cavern


beat and instrumental styles, all with success and a bright, clean production. Hammond organ is to the fore on a series of instrumentals with


a slightly cheesy “trash” aesthetic, like ‘Sex Fizz’ and ‘Stag-ageddon’. Everything swings in a danceable way. Bravely, the first vocal number is in French


– the crazy but catchy ‘Moustache A Papa’. Elsewhere lead singer Topsy’s soulful female vocals are in English. (Did she get her name from the Topsy & Tim children’s readers?) This is the sound of a band having a good time and making sure the audience has fun too. Phil Suggitt


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