1980s/90s
THEE HYPNOTICS Come Down Heavy Cherry Red CD
www.cherryred.co.uk
It’s a mystery why Thee Hypnotics never hit pay dirt back in their early ’90s heyday. Not only was their brand of soulful but heavy
psychedelic blues a perfect antidote to the spandex metal and plaid-shirted grunge that was so prevalent then, they exuded the swagger and attitude of street walking cheetahs with hearts full of napalm. Stooges and MC5 comparisons are
inevitable then, and this, their first album proper, originally released in 1990, is a fully charged battery of high energy rock ’n’ roll worthy of Detroit’s aforementioned finest. With wah pedal in meltdown, guitarist Ray Hanson plays all the right licks and then some – just check out ‘All Messed Up’, ‘Bleeding Heart’ or the amphetamine surge of ‘Release The Feeling’. Then there’sthe infectious ‘Revolution Stone’ – an epic 10- minute psychedelic soul stew with flourishes of saxed-up freeform madness over which frontman Jim Jones comes across all Jim Morrison. A breathtaking album.
Rich Deakin
CARL WILSON Youngblood Iconoclassic CD
www.iconoclassicrecords.com During some of The Beach Boys’ most troubled times, the youngest Wilson brother felt the need to escape the
shackles of that situation, let his hair grow (figuratively, that is), and fully express himself with a solo career. Youngblood, released in 1983, is his second offering and it’s an amalgamation of the styles that Wilson expressed throughout his Beach Boys career. The album rocks like no Beach Boys
album ever did, with ‘What More Can I Say?’, ‘She’s Mine’ and a capable cover of John Fogerty’s ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’ at the forefront. ‘Of The Times’ puts Wilson’s R&B roots on display; ‘Time’ is a wonderfully rollicking honky-tonk, and the hit single ‘What You Do To Me’ is kinda like Rocky Burnette’s ‘Tired Of Towin’ The Line’ on speed. Only the Beach Boys-style ballad ‘Givin’ You Up’ is a reminder of that band’s beauty. Youngblood served as a statement that Wilson needed an emotional release… and a fine statement it is. David Bash
THE BELLRAYS Black Lightning Fargo CD
www.thebellrays.com
Having long mined a seam informed by the music of Detroit, Californian band The BellRays have carved out a sound that
combines punkish guitar energy with soulful blues wailing – vocalist Lisa Kekaula has a voice that could alternately fell a rhinoceros in full charge yet also soothe the most savage of beasts – kind of like The Stooges fronted by Tina Turner! It comes as no surprise then that Black
Lightning delivers pretty much more of the same blistering sonic terrorism that characterised earlier BellRays albums, but it’s perhaps slightly more restrained at times too. The title track, ‘Hell On Earth’ and ‘On Top’ are trademark BellRays full-tilt, raw- powered guitar broadsides. In contrast, ‘Anymore’ and ‘Power To Burn’ make some concessions to mainstream rock, albeit small ones, and are none the worse for it. Surprise highlight though is ‘Sun Comes Down’, a lush ’70s style soul number, replete with shimmering orchestral arrangement. Rich Deakin
New
BAMBI KINO Bambi Kino Tapete CD
www.tapeterecords.de
This is the kind of record that the derogatory term “muso” was coined for. Four New York- based, talented
musicians from successful bands (Nada Surf, Cat Power, Guided By Voices) travel to Hamburg to play The Indra Club on the Reeperbahn – 50 years to the day after The Beatles debuted in the
city.The “highlights” of their afternoon rehearsals are then released as a 12-track album. I know what you’re thinking: why? I
certainly was as I sat listening to these distressingly polite reproductions of the ’50s classics that The Beatles belted out night after night. This album is so far removed from the idea of fun it might as well be a Monday morning lecture. There’s not even a live feel to inject any sense of occasion into proceedings. Whoever thought this was a good idea needs a good lie down in a dark room. A worse kind of tribute to the rock ’n’ roll spirit of the band I cannot imagine. Go buy Live! At The Star Club instead. PHIL ISTINE
THE BELLTOWERS The Lily-Pad Sessions Curium CD
www.myspace.com/wildmercury I’m usually very wary of retro-sounding modern American garage bands with 12-string guitars. Most are ridiculously
generic – with more image than substance, dumb-ass Carnaby Street wannabe costumery, ridiculous fake English accents and cookie-cutter identikit songs in which the singer always seems to be terribly concerned about some “wudds” he is going to have to say to a “gull”. So when I saw the cover of this EP I wasn’t very enthusiastic. Well, surprise. These guys, who are from
Orlando, Florida, are absolutely great. It’s the songs, you know. They do the Beau Brummels/Byrds cross rather effortlessly, I must
say.The 12-string is spot-on, the singing is quite lovely, and some of the songs would have fit nicely on that first Bangles EP. You know, the good one. Or that first Long Ryders EP.You know, the… But seriously, when I saw the sport jacket
over the white turtleneck and the English driving cap, I almost didn’t even listen to it. Which would have been a mistake, and my loss. Yours too. Mike Fornatale
PETER BERRY & THE SHAKE SET Berry-Go-Round Soundflat/Jansen LP/CD
www.soundflat-records.de
Authenticity is everything for Peter Berry & The Shake Set. They look the business and replicate the swinging
sounds of the early ’60s beat boom with uncanny
accuracy.This has been the Norwegian group’s stated mission since forming in 2003 and, once again, they succeed admirably. Unfortunately, there’s not enough to get
excited about on the quartet’s third album
Berry-Go-Round.The songs are good, with originals like the screamin’ rocker ‘Make Up Your Mind’ and moody ballad ‘How Much More’ a match for anything The Sundowners or Southend’sThe Monotones cut back in the day, while the handful of instrumentals on offer – including a surprising cover of The Eagles’ ‘March Of The Eagles’ – are handled with panache. It’s just that the record doesn’t reach out, grab you by the ears and demand that you
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