THE AUTUMN REIGN
Demo (CD)
     Now listen up record labels and promoters... has the onslaught of 'contemporary' garage/blues/punk made you believe that the type of jangly, crafted garage /psych that seemingly went out of favour with the demise of The Mystreated is dead? If so, you're wrong. And if that's the type of vintage garage music you want then these are the guys to contact. Tucked away in an enclave untouched by time (the South West of England, to be precise) six dedicated soles that honed their skills in The Nuthins and Unchayned have stuck to their musical path without being diverted toward MC5-fixations. Focusing on minor forlorn chords, reverbed-guitars ala The Dovers and Phil & The Frantics, the deep moody vocal style of Sean Bonniwell (think a blacker Monkees) and lyrical themes that convey a despair and disenchantment that go beyond teenage, boy-meets girl problems The Autumn Reign paint vivid musical images of a grey October day, dark lonely nights and broken promises. And to my knowledge there are no other bands anywhere in the world that adhere to the sound of such bands as The Enfields as well as this. Go seek 'em now for some real garage music!
     http://www.theautumnreign.com/
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

BRONCO BULLFROG
The Sidelong Glances Of A Pigeon Kicker (CD)
     The candy coated axis of msrs Morten, Poulson and Wiggett return with a swirling whirligig of an album. There is a strong taste of power pop on many of the tunes herein. Some with the emphasis on power ('Look At Me', 'Wally's Dream') and others on the pop ('I'm Not Getting Through', 'Last Chance To Smile') but always tastefully done. The Hollies-like pop pleaser 'Stig's Not Dead' and Dellow-esque 'Witch's Garbage' point up some of their influences. Even more so on the final track, 'Honeybus', a tasteful ballad which in other circumstances would seem cloyingly sentimental, here works well because of the tasteful tune and lyric and the heartfelt sincerity with which they are delivered. 'Sunday' is the cleverly articulated tale of that dreaded groundhog day, the family Sunday. The only title that doesn't work is the other ballad on this set 'Tea and Sympathy', a vaguely 70s singer-songwriter affair which sounds out of synch with everything else. Saving the best 'til last, the two outstanding numbers on this disc are the openers 'Barnaby Slade' (although the annoying radio frequency introduction could be truncated by twenty seconds) and 'Octopus'. The former, a tale of business ineptitude and salvation through Machavelian means and in which Morten's superb gift for storytelling is utilised to the full (you will be humming this song for the rest of your life, it just won't leave your head!) and the latter, a well developed period pop-psych opus that had it been jokingly added to a Rubble or Circus Days volume, you would not be able to distinguish as contemporary. Beautiful. Overall then, a polished set of tuneful, intelligent and well balanced songs with a high pop sensibility and a whole lot of integrity with the emphasis on Summery harmonies (dig the Beach Boys codas on the backing vocals on more than one of these tracks) and sophisticated wordsmithery. A big rainbow coloured thumbs up for this one.
Paul Martin

PAT BUCHANAN
Pat Buchanan (Indiscreet Recordings; CD)
     Yes, Brad Jones is a wunderkind. His production on this is impeccable, and he even manages to pull off more tricks here than he did on The Shazam's epic psych piece Rev 9. Pat Buchanan can pen tunes and sing too, yet there's nothing on this set that really gets under the skin and penetrates the soul. It's like the product of a painting-by-numbers course on power pop songwriters rather than an individual writer's works. When Buchanan does stray away from pastiche into less classifiable material the result is about as boring as Oasis ballads. However, for a dose of post-Paisley Underground Beatles-tinged anglophilia that if not distinctive, but on the mark with its intentions, this album is a pleasurable listen that is perfect for a Sunday morning.
     http://www.indicreetpr.com/
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE CYNICS
Living Is The Best Revenge (Get Hip; CD)
     Like The Ramones, Greg and crew have never strayed away from their signature sound. This new set of 'extreme fuzz' and 'simple 12-string jangle', recorded with Tim Kerr, is faithful to their sound of old: but that's about it! The Cynics are stuck with the late '80s garage-punk sound, and their over zealousness with beefing-up the '60s genres they adore now sounds incredibly dated! There's only so much two-tone fuzz riffing and screams a man can handle. And this is overkill, plus they totally screw up 'She Lives In A Time Of Her Own' and 'You Never Had It Better' -- such good songs should be left alone! Yet the impressionable Dylanesque 'Ballad Of J.C Holmes', resplendent with Al Kooper Hammond chimes is the kinda thing guys of this age do so much better, and final cut 'Shine' breaks away from the usual framework, mixing REM type pop with late '60s psychedelic soloing, airing the band's (particularly Kostelich's) hidden talents!
     This form of contemporary garage has never sat in with the purists, nor ever will, and the band are now too old to join the young crowd who play a music that itself is indebted to The Cynics sound. For me, it's a one trick pony that is wearing thin, but still, there is a loyal fan base of fuzz-atics out there who will lap this up.
Daly Dumpen

KEK '66
On the Outside Looking In (Larsen; LP)
     Whether playing original tunes or carefully chosen covers of fairly obscure 60's gems, Kek '66 have a sense of melody and tunefulness that is pervasive. Group leader Robert Muter has carried this over from his previous band, the excellent Kliek. Muter can write gentle ballads like 'Try to Fall In Love again', yet even on the raunchier songs there is a melodic sensibility and a great vocal sound. Like the other recent Larsen releases by the Montesas and the Waistcoats, Kek '66 have passed on the easy, trendy route followed by the legions of Hives and Strives clones. Typical Kek '66 tunes have banks of acoustics behind a snappy lead line - fuzz and punk hybrids don't enter the equation, thank God.
     Numerous guests augment the sound with additional guitars, vocals and keyboards. Perhaps the band take a different live approach, as many of the songs would be difficult for a trio to play, such as 'Love is Everything' which benefits from the extra vocals of Eva van Ettekoven.
Phil Suggit

LITTLE BEAR BIG BEAR
Little Man / Dr Morgan's Panacea (7' Butterfly)
     Here comes editor Mojo Mills and SD colleague and Bronco Bullfrog member Andy Morten and co with two feisty offerings. Top side of this platter is a c.'66-7 styled mod-psych groover with a raw lead guitar line and suitably decaying pop-art ending. Throughout, a good performance is turned in by all concerned and will satisfy anyone's contemporary freakbeat needs. However, following the 60s edict that B sides existed for experimenting on, 'Dr Morgan's Panacea' presents us with a pop-psych playlet that either a late 60s Mark Wirtz or a group like The Koobas may well have worked up. In the lyrical tradition of 'Hey Conductor' and 'Mr Pharmacist', this takes us on a chemical kaleidoscopic ride in several acts, but with a distinctly British flavour. It conjures up images of Rubble LP sleeves coming to life and Yellow Submarine animation. Tightly played and well constructed it rewards repeated plays with something new each time as well as bringing a wry smile to the face. Nice acid-toytown sleeve design by fellow Shindigger Gavin Dianda as well. Keep taking the Mills pills!
Paul Martin

THE MONTESAS
Hipsville Teen Party (Larsen; LP)
     The overall tone of this album is conveyed by the inclusion of a suggested dance for each song. Personally I have forgotten how to do The Slop, The Jerk, The Monkey, the Turtle Neck, etc, but these songs sure make me want to try! The emphasis is on catchy, simple frat/pop/beat numbers. It is REALLY hard not to groove along with songs like 'Do Me Love.' Most of the songs are characterised by cheesy organ and catchy two-girl backing vocals from Ira and Nina. The sound is reminiscent of the early 60's, but with a less wimpy vocal sound than most groups delivered up in 1963.
     There is a sense of fun throughout. For example, the first song is called 'The Intro and Link rip-off.' We don't learn the guys real names, just stuff like 'Terry Inferno' on drums, and 'Bogaloo Bix' on organ.
     In an alternate universe where Buddy Holiday never died and the Beatles backed him on his '64 European tour, The Montesas would be high in the charts and be playing a package tour at your local cinema.
Phil Suggitt

LISA MYCHOLS
Lost Winter's Dream (Rev-ola; CD)
     Recorded in '90 with The Wondermints after former Ít's Happening Go-Go dancer Lisa Mychols impressed chief 'mint Darian with the crafted, honest pop tunes that she had written after coming out of a heavy break-up. Mychols sweet voice is reminiscent of such angelic voiced songstresses as Lesley Gore whilst Nick and Darian's arrangements (only recorded on a home studio) capture the grace of Spector's and Wilson's Teen Symphonies. Minor complaints aside such as the at times '80s production and writing style (notable on 'C-mass =tyme2') this is a solid set of cute girl-y pop touched by the hands of the fantastic Wondermints. And it must be noted that the young Mycholls is a token pop-kitten! And hey, it is Xmas after all!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

JOEY RAMONE
Christmas Spirit...In My House (Sanctuary; CD)
     Strange and rather sad timing for Joey's posthumous single. As the title suggests, it's a Christmas themed EP, with versions of 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' and 'Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)' plus three tracks from his album. It's all great - well, would you expect anything less from Mr Hyman? Happily, his ethos for solo material seems to have been 'don't fuck with the formula'. No real deviation from The Ramones in their poppier moments (End Of The Century, Pleasant Dreams era), despite a cast of thousands providing back up, including Ronnie Spector, members of D Generation, The Dictators, and Joey's brother Mickey Leigh. High point is the album's title track 'Don't Worry About Me', though the cover of 'What A Wonderful World' comes close. Very moving, given the context. I'll be heading out to buy the album now, for sure.
Jane Farrell

THE SHAZAM
Tomorrow The World (Not Lame; CD)
     Just the way 'deep thinkers' and 'flower children' moved away from psychedelic persuasion in the late '60s and early '70s to a more rockin' (or inversely rootsy) feel Tomorrow The World shuns the studio-wizardry and cosmic-philosophising that Rev 9 saw the band take on board. Straight-ahead foot-to-the-floor gems like '50-Foot Rock (Rockin' And Rollin' (With My) Rock 'N' Roll Rock 'n' Roller)' leave little room for ambitious re-works of Beatles mind-manglers and rectify The Shazam as a quintessentially ballsy American rock band - albeit, one with an incredible knack for melody. On 'Nine Times', Hans and crew throw in such a perfect blend of sprightly energy and infectious harmonies that it sounds as if the '68-era Move have risen from the grave. Could this be the greatest power pop song released in 2002? You bet!
     If the over eagerness of Rev 9 broke up the momentum of the first two albums, Tomorrow The World sees The Shazam getting back to what they do best.
Jon 'Mojo' Mill

THE WAISTCOATS
In Our Eyes (Larsen; LP)
     Holland's Waistcoats have been around for a while now, but this is their best album by far. Whilst all the features of their earlier releases are still present, (a mixture of twangy instros, beat and garage,) the 14 original songs are consistently strong, whether penned by guitarist and main man Jan-Herman Veldkamp or by the rest of the band.
     The overall sound is a lot fuller, in no small part due to the keyboard work of 'Doc' Burger. A guest on earlier recordings, he is now a full member of the band. Also of note is a more tuneful direction. All the songs have catchy, poppy choruses and artful, well-arranged backing vocals. They remind you of great mid-60's beat/pop, without ever being carbon copies or sincere imitations. Buy with confidence.
Phil Suggitt

THE WINNERYS
The Winnerys (Up To You CD)
     Madrid's Winnerys love The Beatles. No, I mean they really LOVE The Beatles. And they sound quite like them too. Not in the hackneyed, clumsy way that most mop-topped Rickenbacker-wielding guitar pop bands of a certain age do, but with a genuine affection and understanding of what made mid-60's British beat music so timeless and joyful in the first place.
The blueprint here is the acoustic 'n' twelve-string sound of Beatles For Sale and Help! informed by the more complex vocal harmonies, metallic guitar work and lysergic knowing that followed.
That said, these nine songs, composed by guitarist/vocalist Fausto Martin and bassist/vocalist Javier Polo, manage to steer clear of Rutles territory, never descending into pastiche or spoof. The songs are all sung in English too, with the Spanish accents keeping themselves fairly inconspicuous.
     Opener 'Messages Inside' immediately knocks you out with it's mixture of supreme confidence and ultra-catchiness. 'It Must Be...' and 'It's Up To You' are more of the same, pure pop written like it was 1965 and delivered flawlessly. 'In My Garden' and 'Little Dark Clouds' nod towards the minor-key mini-epics of Face To Face era Kinks while 'I'll Be Waiting For You' and the superb 'I Tremble' add some aggressive late 70's power-pop punch to the equation.
     Despite being recorded solely as demos (and subsequently pressed up and sold due to demand) the sound is excellent, the razor-sharp twelve-strings and breathless harmonies coming through loud and clear.
     So before The Winnerys unleash their debut album on the world in March 2003, feast your ears on these gems and thank the lord for Sugar, Magic, Happy and Hammer.
     Look out for a full feature in the next issue of Shindig! and remember, you heard it here first.
     Email: thewinnerys@hotmail.com
Andy Morten