THE 5678S
Bomb The Rocks - Early Days Singles, 1989-1996 (Sweet Nothing; CD)
     I've no doubt that most reviewers will lump this release in with the "garage rock" genre for no other reason than convenience. But this quartet of Japanese chicks base their sound more in the 1950s than the '60s, with most of their covers coming from that decade - their version of the Flaming Groovies "Teenage Head" and The Sunsets' "Hot Generation" (which they may have picked up on their first trip outside of Japan, playing gigs in Melbourne) being the noteable exceptions. (Okay, I know "Scream" is from the sixties but it's not yer typical garage band platter is it?!) 
     However, it certainly does come out of the garage in the sense that they most definitely are a "garage band" and they most certainly do "rock" so… Hmmmm… Genres? What do they matter? The guitars rumble, the vocals are screamed, the drums pound. What more do ya need?! 
     I'm not sure if this CD is chronological but the lo-fi sound seems to become more and more hi-fi as we progress through the 27 tracks. By time we get to "Bond Girl", with the always great sounding Bond Theme incorporated into the song in a very cool way, it sounds like they've upgraded to a better studio. I have to admit to finding the accented singing somewhat off-putting but then I guess some of you out there will consider it to be "cute"… (Mind you, there is a song entitled "Ah-So" which seems to indicate that they are - as, I suspect, are many Japanese - more self-aware than they let on, as well as showing a sense of humour.)
     Of course, following their appearance in the Tarantino flick Kill Bill, I expect their London show at the Dirty Water Club http://www.dirtywaterclub.com in June to be mobbed. But then that's cool 'cos it's as a live act that these girls really show what they can do. 
Murray Absich

THE BLACK KEYS
Moan (Alive; CD EP)      This is what they're calling nu-blues. Everything's "nu" these days rather than "new"... Whatever… Anyhoo, here you get two of their own songs and two remakes. A blues version of Iggy's "No Fun" is a novelty the first time ya hear it but grows tired shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Richard Berry's (or maybe The Sonics' if you're a garage rock type and don't know too much) "Have Love With Travel" is great. I've got a dozen versions of this tune and I think it's one of those songs where I've never heard it done badly. Now, I looked at this blues newsgroup on the internet the other day. Old guys in their 50s - a guess, but I'm sure I'm right - were dissing these youngsters who "don't know how to play the blues". Well, those guys are just old farts who want everything to sound note-for-note, a perfect reproduction, of something Crippled Joe Johnson recorded back in 1948. This may not sound like the real old blues but it has passion enough to satisfy anyone's soul. If they got one that is.
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/Black_Keys.html
Murray Abisch

DEAD FLY BUCHOWSKI
The Land Of The Rough (SandBath Quality Recording; CD)
     Theoretically, every band has a market and a magazine that caters for it. For instance, Elbow attract Q readers who think that they're teetering on the very abyss of the avant-garde merely by listening to a band other than Coldplay. This year NME is there for young 'uns discovering the joys of AC/DC (and that's just the journalists - boom boom!). By comparison Shindig pride ourselves on being reasonably eclectic, but there are limits. The very amiable-sounding Dead Fly Buchowski have, unfortunately, probably gone beyond 'em. I'm hearing Nick Cave, post-Fish Marillion, and The Doors or The Cult's (now one and the same, apparently) more meandering moments but it's not really the "raw fuzz-and-psych edged blues influenced rock n roll" they claim. Actually it's prog rock with an indie veneer: lots of time changes, portentous lyrics and some lassitude on the song quantity versus quality ratio. This CD could have made a good single ('Didn't I Hear You Right' b/w 'Ground Nero') or (with some judicious editing of 'The Sun Song') even an EP, but going for an album as your first release is seldom a wise idea, whereas knowing when and where to stop is. Still, they seem like nice chaps and have a pleasing selection of links on their website. So good luck to 'em.
www.deadflymustdie.tk
Betty Chienne

THE DEFECTORS
Turn Me On! (Bad Afro; CD)
     I'm tempted to say that this album is like going back in time to the 1980s garage revival and then to make disparaging comments on how it sounds dated. But, having just been reviewing some major label dross of the big, epic, anthemic songs variety (not for Shindig! I should point out!), the Defectors are rather refreshing actually. They have a hard-hitting sound that grabs me straight away and makes my toes tap and my head nod along. And despite, or maybe because of, the '80s garage feel of this disc I think I might even be able to DJ tracks from this to indie/garage-rock kids who are too young to remember or know about that previous garage revival and see an enthusiastic and full dancefloor.
http://www.badafro.dk
Paul Marsh

THE FOXX
The Foxx (own label; CD)
     Schizoid. Albuquerque's The Foxx (formerly known as The Sweat Band, and ain't it lucky that a lawsuit from some other band demented enough to use that terrible name forced them to change it…) are a band whose sound varies completely depending on which of their two singers is taking the lead. Under Juliet they're lo-fi 1990s indie-punk-pop. Apparently she is "formerly of Teenbeat and K Records recording artists The Rondelles". Under Isaac they're 1970s glam rock - the kind of thing that would have had Kim Fowley champing at the bit and devising promotional strategies involving being underage and up for it. It's tuneful and energetic, a bit Heartbreakers, a bit Rezillos. 'Ready To Go' surmounts the vocal schism by having them duet. Juliet's voice is too pure and country/pop-friendly for their kind of choppy glam/punk/rock. Using the two voices in tandem helps disguise that deficiency: harmonising makes her sound like a Shangri-La instead. That song and 'Bands [Don't Want Me To Dance]' are the best moments, despite the latter's assertion that "the boys all got a little frustration/and the girls want a little romance"? What, all of them? How nice to know: no frustrated women in New Mexico! 
www.the-foxx.com
Jane Farrell

GLUECIFER
Automatic Thrill (SPV; CD)
     Given the huge delay in reviewing Gluecifer's last album Basement Apes, it seems like pretty good going to get over the initial "jaw dropped in sheer awe" reaction to Automatic Thrill in a paltry 3 months. Hearing the new songs at a preview gig in December (probably never the best introduction to forthcoming material) left me unsure if the band were progressing or regressing to the old 90-miles-an-hour-on-everything approach. But thank you Jesus, thank you lawd, it's the former. This album builds on its predecessor in the same way that Rocks followed on from Toys In The Attic (ask an Aerosmith fan for an explanation if that doesn't conjure up immediate visions of greatness). Qualities that previously felt experimental are now fully assimilated so they sound natural rather than like an overt change of direction. They've acquired the ability to chill out when necessary: full-on stuff like 'A Call From The Other Side' doesn't sound incongruous next to the tense, Alice Cooper circa Killers-esque 'Shaking So Bad'. And they've ventured even further into the corners of Oslo's equivalent of Macari's Musical Instruments, sticking a theremin on 'Car Full Of Stash', castanets on 'Here Come The Pigs' and autositar and tabla machine on (personal favourite, though it's a close run thing) 'Freeride'. Previous winner of the "world's most enraged man" award Biff Malibu seems to be more relaxed too, showing a fondness for lurid sexual metaphors like wilfully daft food themed 'Put Me On A Plate' and the carry on rock 'n' roll nurse activities in 'Dr Doktor'. A tiny smidgeon of doubt only presents itself viz-a-viz final track 'The Good Times Used To Kill Me' which steps too far into Jim Morrison-declamatory "and he WALKED ON DOWN THE HALL!" spoken word lyric territory for my taste. It's not a bad song, being reminiscent (as one other astute reviewer pointed out) of underrated Irish band Whipping Boy, but it closes the album with a whimper rather than the bang it deserves. What the hell though: they're never going to play it live, and if you've got 10 tracks of straight up genius, it's no big deal if the eleventh goes a bit awry. New formula Gluecifer: even better best rock band in the world than before!
http://www.gluecifer.com
Jane Farrell

PENELOPE HOUSTON
Snapshot (Flare; CD)
     Bloody hell! It's Penelope "The Avengers" Houston! Remember listening to some of their stuff on a dodgy US West Coast punk compilation tape some years ago and being (even allowing for dubious audio quality) not wholly impressed. But this is completely different. From the Virna Lindt-esque "bobbed blonde in a sportscar" picture on the sleeve, one might expect a 1960s revivalist kind of sound - even more so given that Alec Palao (garage consultant extraordinaire) produces and plays in Ms Houston's back up band here, The Maydays. However, these five covers justify her website biography being headlined "Punk Folkie Popstar", with particular emphasis on "folk" and "pop". The only one that's a little vintage-sounding is 'Maybe We've Been Loving Too Long', which given its origins as a Flying Machine B-side is only right and proper. Excellent version of Pentangle's 'I've Got A Feeling' (can't go wrong with a bit of the 'Tangle). The Band's 'It Makes No Difference' is finally made listenable (but as a Band hater I'm biased), and justice is done to 'Though You Are Far Away' (improving on anything Colin Blunstone has done is flatly impossible, so they're wise to stick very close to the original arrangement). Penelope has a very pretty voice: not too perfect (thankfully - that would be boring), prone to wobble at the right moments, and utterly feminine. Unfortunately it's not a voice that can take being swamped with "rock out" instrumentation - the revamp of Shocking Blue's 'Love Machine' just doesn't work (Alanis Morrissette springs to mind - yuk!). But the spare and sympathetic arrangement on the other tracks does. If you want to do an album of cover versions, choosing unusual and varied ones like these is always recommended. And 4 out of 5 is an excellent hit rate.
www.penelope.net
Jane Farrell

ROY LONEY & THE LONGSHOTS
Drunkard in the Think Tank (Career; CD)
     As a member of the near-legendary Flaming Groovies from their inception in 1968 through to 1971, a man like Roy Loney could easily rest on his laurels. But, no, he went on to form The Phantom Movers and continued to take real rock'n'roll across the USA and beyond. Now, while many guys of Loney's age trying to play bluesy boogie rock sound like they ought to be playing in bars to people who are more interested in their booze than what's happening on stage, this stuff does actually rock. (Even the slow songs have got their balls out!) And, hey, Roy's songwriting's pretty damn good too. There are some clear Buddy Holly influences in several songs which is real cool to my ears. And it's great to hear them cover a sixties beat tune like The Chartbusters' "She's The One" and Simon Scott and the Le Roy's "Move It Baby" and sound like they're throughly enjoying themselves doing so. Excellent! This is a record that fully deserves its place on my shelf alongside the Groovies and Movers.
http://www.careerrecords.com/Roy_Loney.html
Paul Marsh

THE MASTER PLAN
Colossus of Destiny (Total Energy; CD)
     With members of The Dictators and The Fleshtones in the band it's natural that one would approach this CD with very high expectations. If I hadn't known about the involvement of Andy Shernoff, Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer, along with Paul Johnson from The Waxing Poetics, then I'd most likely be raving about this old school rock'n'roll outing of these old timers. However, the fact is that it really doesn't have the punk edge of The Dictators nor the wild energy of The Fleshtones. That said, it does have the kind of tunes that are so good that you think you know them already, that are well played - if possibly too well played! - and rocks just about enough to suggest that a trip to see them in a live setting could reward you with an intense experience.
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/MasterPlan.html
Paul Marsh

NEW PLANET TRAMPOLINE
Clear As Candy (Davenport; CD)
     A mysterious five-track CD from a band and label that are new to me and which comes with absolutely no information, apart from band name, label name and song titles. But how's it sound? At first I was gonna say it was like the sort of cod psych-pop from the late '60s that was commonly produced by labels trying to cash in on something that was already slightly in the past. However, it's well played and there are some good ideas going on in the way of early Pink Floyd and overall I wouldn't be surprised to be told that these tracks were actually burned off one of the Rubbles compilations. That means if you like psychedelic rock then you'll like this. A lot.
http://www.davenportrecords.com/
Paul Marsh

NEW PLANET TRAMPOLINE
The Curse Of New Planet Trampoline (Elephant Stone; CD)
     The Farfisa drifts in an apt Rick Wright manner… but it's all a bit TOO floaty… and for some floaty was acceptable when Spacemen 3 and Loop were making a big deal out of two chords in the late '80s, but it really ain't anymore… quite why the young Americans have taken to the drone-sound is beyond ominous Shindig worsdmiths like me. Nevertheless, NPT aren't necessarily another bunch that worship at the feet of Sonic Boom, their sound is more UK '67 - and it works in places, 'Fishbone Song' being a nice surprise out of a somewhat mundane set. The songs don't stick, and the Rubble fanatics amongst us will find little to cherish. Melodies are barely comprehensible… the dynamics flat… and spirit, energy and soul is definitely lacking… Now where's that Dukes Of Stratosphere album?
www.elephantstonerecords.com
Mike Maroon 

RAQUELS BOYS
Music For The Girl You Love (Jam Recordings; CD)
     This is a perfectly serviceable power pop set. Sean Hutton & Reg Carter (who 'only play Rickenbacker guitars exclusively') play all the instruments and write all the songs (12 of them) although they do have a couple of guests here and there. Two things I have to unload here. Firstly, I cannot listen to records where one or two people play all the instruments and hear them for what they presumably want to be heard as - a group. To me they sound exactly what they are the character and style of the one or two people imposed on all the instruments and multi-tracked rather than a group of four (or more) contributing their own characters and styles. Now that's a just me. Secondly, whilst these songs are melodic and jangly with a nice power pop-like presence, they are all too slow for my liking. Not that I'm suggesting they should be recut at death metal speed, no. Rather, I just think it would lend some light and shade if there were a variety of rhythms or, at least, different time signatures, as all 12 songs are mid-paced. These are just my own peccadilloes of course. In spite of which, overall, this is a professional sounding and enjoyably tuneful set of songs which melodic power pop fans should enjoy perfectly well.
www.jamrecordings.com
Paul Martin

THE RED TYGER CHURCH
Free Energy (Alive; CD)
     Another band with a daft name to make sure you know that they're a bit psychedelic? Actually, this starts off by rocking a lot more than I'd have expected, in a bluesy-garage-pysch kinda way. Some more mellow and gentle but still quite pop songs follow. There are hints of bands like The Southbound Freeway, later Blues Magoos, Steppenwolf maybe, a very American (rather than UK) version of psych-rock (apart from some bits that remind one of late-sixties Stones). A very impressive record that demands repeated playing.
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/RedTygerChurch.html
Paul Marsh

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS
Mojo Box (Yep Roc; CD)
     I only had one Southern Culture on the Skids record before this one came along, something from around ten years ago near enough, I reckon. I didn't think too much of it to be honest. However, this new album sounds much better recorded and with much better songs. A pleasant surprise! But what's it sound like? Where to start?! It's a lot less punky than I'd expected. Maybe they're mellowing with age!? But, no this thing still rocks. Anyhow, there's a whole bunch of ingredients in this hot southern stew. There's hillbilly and rockabilly, Cramps-like swamp rockin' blues, a bit of garage-rock'n'roll. But overall the whole deal can be summed up perfectly in one of their very own song titles - "Soulful Garage" says it all. This is the ideal album as a soundtrack to a pool party, dancing on the patio and firing up the barbecue.
http://www.yeproc.com/
Paul Marsh

DENIZ TEK & SCOTT MORGAN
Three Assassins (Career; CD)
     A slice of classic Motor City rock'n'roll, albeit recorded in France and Italy. The two main protagonists here have a relationship going back to the mid-sixties when a young Deniz Tek (who later moved over to Australia and the legendary Radio Birdman) would go to the Grande Ballroom to see Scott Morgan's band The Rationals, garage-soulsters who had a regional hit with Otis Redding's "Respect" and directly inspired Aretha Franklin's version. So you know you're getting some quality sounds here for sure. True, the live recordings do come across as being a bit ragged around the edges at times but for fans of Detroit proto-punk this release would be an essential item to own.
http://www.careerrecords.com/Assassins.html
Paul Marsh

THE UNREQUITED LOVES
These Are... (Facefirst; CD)
     Out of all the bands I've reviewed lately these Florida guys are the closest to sounding like a real original sixties garage band. I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not these days. But if that's what they were aiming for then they're doing pretty good. The title track, "These Are The Unrequited Loves", is fab though - but then I'm always a sucker for self-referential songs. There are a couple of other tracks that move me. Trouble is that for me too few of the tracks really stand out as being anything I'd wanna play on a regular basis. All of which means that a lotta "Shindig!" readers would dig this a lot more than me!
Murray Abisch

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Standing In The Shadows: A Tribute To The Golden Days Of The Rolling Stones 1963-67 (Corduroy; CD)
     Corduroy Records head honcho Nick Phillips writes in the sleeve notes; "The Stones sounded and looked the coolest band in the world - by God! THEY WERE THE COOLEST BAND IN THE WORLD! And what is the point of owning a record label if you can't put out a tribute to all time faves?"
     I have only enjoyed a couple of tribute albums, and Corduroy's earlier Pretty Things tribute is among them. I can't blame Nick for wanting to honour his main musical heroes. (In the back of his mind he is probably planning another tribute album to the third band in his musical Holy Trinity, The Tell-Tale Hearts!)
     Many people have serious reservations with the concept of the tribute album. If you really like a band, you don't want to hear other artists abuse or distort songs that are close to your heart, indeed, essential for your very existence. You have lived with the tune for years and even if the trib version is different and refreshing you can't get the original out of your head.
     Note for note, respectful covers are fun live but a pointless karaoke exercise on disc.
     Often the cover bands are so stylistically diverse that it's impossible to play the album all the way through.
     On all three counts this album acquits itself well. The roster of bands is well chosen. The currently trendy "new garage" bands are sensibly passed over in favour of '60s influenced bands with a genuine feel for the music. The "Corduroy Cosa Nostra" are all present: Shutdown 66, The Puritans, The Breadmakers and The Hekawis are so deeply rooted in bluesy R&B that they are perfect for this comp. Many other great bands from around the globe also appear, notably the aforementioned Tell-Tale Hearts, France's Slow Slushy Boys, Italy's Others and Spain's Stupid Baboons and Dr. Explosion. If anything some of the covers are sloppier, looser and raunchier than the originals, without mangling or modernising them. The Headcoatees version of 'Paint It Black' deserves its place as the lead track. The girls haven't played or recorded since the demise of Thee Headcoats, so I presume this recording has lain in the vaults for a while. The girls' voices really suit the song, and add a new dimension to a song that I previously thought was untouchable. I won't list all the other songs, because if you are reading this you know what they are!
     If you can put aside any preconceived prejudices against tribute albums, you will enjoy this. Classic songs performed by cool bands that care.
http://www.corduroy.com.au/
Phil Suggitt