Reviews April 2007

HACK MACK JACKSON Pressure Island CD

German countryrockband. Pretty good actually, recorded by DM Bob for a greatbig sound that fist them like a glove. This is a lot more rock that it iscountry but it really sounds american and that really saves it. I can imaginelistening to this while driving in the States and it feels pretty cool. Forfans of Supersuckers country maybe. They do a bunch of choice covers like“These Boots Are Made For Walking”, “Stuck In The Middle” and the Jello Biafraclassic “Too Drunk Too Fuck”. Yeah, this is pretty good. Check it out if youthink you like the stuff I’m describing. (Thomas)

Triggerfish

JAY REATARD Blood Visions LP/CD

Jay Reatard, know from the Lost Sounds, Reatards, Angry Angles, Final Solutions have taken the final step and recorded a solo album. For simplicity's sake I'll just say that this doesn't really sound like the Reatards or the Final Solutions. It's more of some sort of continuation of the Lost Sounds and it's kind of impressive. A bunch of fantastic songs, great production and this just grows and grows. I always get a little disappointed when he doesn't play punkrock cause I just love how it sounds when he does that, but when it's this good there's just nothing to do but bow down to the man's genius. (Thomas)

In The Red Records

THE MONSTERS The Worst of Garage Punk Vol 1 DBL-CD

The Monsters are okay in my book but not more. Their trashy, no-fi psychobilly works best in small doses and this double albums compiling odds, ends and live is a bit too much for me. If you love them this is a must. Had this been about the Gories or Oblivians I would have been all over it but the Monsters are a little too much hit and miss for me. Sorry Beat-man. It's a great package nevertheless and Monsters lovers everywhere will be going nuts I hope. (Thomas)

Voodoo Rhythm Records

THE RAUNCH HANDS BIGG TOPP Feel It CD

Yeeehaaa! The Raunch Hands are back! They're one of my absolute faves and they made a whole bunch of amazing records in the 80s and 90s on Crypt and other labels, then shut down only to resurface again early this century. The reunion was recorded and put out by Crypt a couple of years ago and it showed they still had IT. Something a whole lot of bands don't have. I guess they couldn't stay away from each other any longer cause the Mikes are back (Chandler, Edison and Mariconda). They met up in Austin using Mariconda's new band the Stepbrothers and recorded a new cooll record. And it's a cool one even if they're a bit rusty at times. There's a few duds but out of eleven tunes there's at least seven or eight killers that shows that so important IT again. There's no band that can make it swing like the Raunch Hands can. The pick up their influences from wherever and mix it into a musical cocktail that just tastes great. Fuck this is great. Now I'm happy. (Thomas)

Licorice Tree Records

THE SHIRLEY MACLAINES Hey Girls 7”

Debut for these Austrian girls (I think) and also thedebut of this cool new label from Johnny from the Fe Fi Fo Fums. The Maclainesare in the same vein as the FFFF’s. Fun garagerock done budgetrock style. It’skinda slow and a little awkward at times but that just lends a lot of charm. Ifyou’re into bands like the aforementioned FFFFs, Supercharger, Mummies, BoomBoom Records etc then by all means check out the Shirley Maclaines! (Thomas)

Heads Up Records

SONIC ANGELS Times Are Changing CD

Hardworking French band but this is pretty boringrock. Not much to say about this it just doesn’t go anywhere. (Thomas)

Subsonic/Rock Palace

V/A – BLACK LIPS / DEMON’S CLAWS 7”

Another one in the Rolling Stones cover series, and it certainly looks like thecoolest one to date. Black Lips cover “What To Do” and it’s a very friendly andfun version that fits them very well. Nothing out of the ordinary. Demon’sClaws have chosen “Factory Girl” and it’s more an extraordinary thing, prettystrange and noisy but fairly cool. Would have been even more fun though ifthese two great bands had chosen some of the Stones more rollicking numbers andreally made a go at making them really rock and roll. We’ll just have to waitand see if there’s gonna be one of these little singles that will really blowus away. (Thomas)

Norton Records