Interview with The Backyard Casanovas

The Bonn, Germany four-piece The Backyard Casanovas recently released their stellar debut album Backyard Stomp.  I had the chance to talk to them about the new album, their numerous other gigs, including playing with Cat Lee King, Germany's 50's Rhythm and Blues and Rock 'n' Roll scene and alot more.   

Can you give me a little background on the band and tell me what drew the four of you together to pursue this style of music?

We originally formed our group named Cat Lee King and His Cocks. Some of us knew each other from school and sessions at the local blues club. We all love the old Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll stuff. We really enjoyed playing together so we decided to go for it.

The four of you are also Cat Lee King’s band. How would compare being his band versus doing your own thing?

We wouldn't say that one band is Cat Lee King's thing and the other is our thing.  Sure we play different subgenres of rhythm and blues in the bands, but we're still a sworn group and into the same kind of music. With the Casanovas, we get to play another facet of rhythm and blues. And that's why with the Backyard Casanovas we also deliberately chose a new name.

Were you already a band before you teamed up with him?

We had been touring as Cat Lee King and his Cocks for several years and were scheduled to perform at a good friend's wedding reception. Since Cat Lee King was out of the country at the time, we decided to perform without him. The performance was very well received by the audience, and thus the Backyard Casanovas were born.

What kind of impact did the pandemic have on the band?

Many concerts were postponed or cancelled altogether. This was a hard reality for us as a semi-professional band, but we used the time well and Cat Lee King recorded his solo album "The Quarantine Tapes" and we recorded our first album "Backyard Stomp". We also tried our hand at a livestream and a car concert, but of course all this is not the same as a real live concert with an audience.

About half the disc is covers. What went into choosing what songs to cover?

When we rehearsed the band for the wedding, we only had cover songs. In the end, they are all songs that we personally like a lot and that fit our concept. Some are not as well known as others, but we try to give our personal touch to the covers.  Little by little we added our own songs from our drummer Rene Lieutenant and our singer Tommy J. Croole.

I love that you cover Hasil Adkins’ “Big Fat Mama”. I grew up about 30 minutes from his hometown and was lucky enough to experience him live, which was definitely something to remember. How did you come across him and what made you choose that song?

Hasil Adkins has always been one of our idols. In the end he was the first punk long before there was punk. His energy and charisma are unique. We hope he would like our cover version.

Three of the tracks are credited to Christoph Seidel. Who is that?

That´s the real name of our lead singer Tommy J Croole.

This isn't a question, but I wanted to compliment you on the originals. The album flows so well that if you don't know they are covers you really can't tell what is a cover and what is an original.

Thank you very much. That was also our intention when we put the album together.

Is there a big scene in Germany for 50’s era Blues and Rhythm and Blues?

We would say yes. In Germany the 50s Rhythm and Blues scene is very much alive mixed with the 50s Rock'n'Roll scene and forms a common one. Together it is already a big scene with many events and festivals all over Germany, but of course it would be nice if the scene becomes even bigger.

I love your YouTube videos on the Bopflix page. Can you tell me a little about those?

We recorded the first Bopflix videos in England at Rhythm Riot. That's our favorite festival in our music scene. The other Bopflix session we recorded in Bonn at the Musikclub Session. We recorded the music ourselves and Chris Magee from Bopflix did the filming and post production. He has a very good hand for it and his Youtube channel is already the best music archive of current Rock'n'Roll and Rhythm and Blues bands. He has become a very good friend of ours. We look forward to working with him again soon.

How would you describe a live show from The Backyard Casanovas?

It is difficult to describe it ourselves, since we can only see it on video afterwards.  We always try to play with the highest energy and commitment possible and hope the audience will see, hear and feel this and respond to it. Hopefully in an ecstatic way.

What are your plans now that the album has just been released?

Waiting... Waiting for the vinyl record. We hope that it will be available in the summer, but the production times are very long at the moment. And until then we play as many gigs as possible.

I know it’s a massive undertaking, but do you see any dates in the US in your future?

We would love to do that. We have also received several requests for Cat Lee King and his Cocks and also for us as Backyard Casanovas, but of course this is a big undertaking with high costs and needs a lot of planning and especially a good tour manager in the States who can organize a tour for us.

Are any of you involved in any other projects in addition to your work with Cat Lee King?

Besides "Cat Lee King and his Cocks", Cat and Tommy also play in the "Cat Lee King Jazz Trio". Our bass player Lucky Luciano also plays in the Rockabilly band "High Steppin Daddys". Our drummer Rene Lieutenant also plays in the Rock'n'Roll band "The Ballroomrockets" and often in the Ryhthm'n'Blues band "Ray Collins Hot Club". Our rhythm guitarist Sidney Ramone also plays in his Rhythm'n'Punk band "Restless Ramone". Tommy also plays drums in several bands in Germany. So it's all a bit interwoven here. Theoretically, you can book us and we can play as three to four different bands for you.

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

We hope many people can enjoy our music and we are always happy to perform live. After this pandemic, it is important that a going-out mentality emerges again.  The bars and clubs really need it. Support your local bars and bands!

(The Backyard Casanovas - Facebook)

 

The Mirage - The World Goes On Around You – The Mirage Anthology

After numerous years going through various incarnations of different bands, the members of the Hertfordshire band The Mirage released their debut single in 1965.  Over the next five years they released nine singles (some under pseudonyms) and then in 1970 released a full-length album under the name Jawbone, followed it up with another single and then called it a day. The World Goes On Around You is a new three-disc box set that compiles all these singles and their one album and also contains a multitude of unreleased demos, outtakes and BBC sessions.  

Disc one kicks off with the eighteen tracks that comprised the nine singles they released between 1965 and 1968.  While there are a lot of really great originals amongst the singles, unfortunately they were often delegated to the flipside.  This was usually due to the record company owners and execs being out of touch or in some cases greedy, as some of the songs were written by them as opposed to the band.  The first original they released was “Just A Face”, a tune driven by chiming guitars and a hint of psychedelia, and the flipside to their second single “Go Away”, a bouncy, upbeat track that was actually a previously unreleased song written by The Hollies.  The next single was their take on The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows”, which did a good job of capturing the feel of the original but was a lot more stripped down and sounds more like a demo.  This was once again accompanied by an original with “You Can’t Be Serious”, a Beatles-esque track meshed with a mod vibe.  The next two singles finally contained nothing but originals with the high points being the laid-back ballad “Can You Hear Me” (written by band bassist Dee Murray who would later become a member of Elton John’s classic band lineup) and the stellar “The Wedding Of Ramona Blair”, reminiscent of early Pink Floyd.  The next single was the epitome of the band being mishandled by their label.  “Mystery Lady” was a very cheesy bubblegum pop tune that just wasn’t very good and was written by the owner of the label, who had never written a hit song.  On the other hand, the b-side “Chicago Cottage” was a blissful pop gem that had all the makings of a hit and is one of the best songs they ever released.  With singles under the name The Mirage continuously falling short in sales they decided to release the next one under the name Yellow Pages.  “Here Comes Jane” was written by former Plastic Penny frontman Brian Keith and was a catchy bubblegum singalong with a hint of rock, while “Ding Dong Bell”, musically a catchy tune, but lyrically extremely cheesy, was again co-written by label owner Larry Page.  Their next single, and last under the name The Mirage, was “Carolyn”, which was again penned by the label owner and is a horrible track with a really bad oompa oompa beat that is basically the demo because the band thought it was so bad, they walked out of the session.  As had happened over and over, the original on the flip, “The World Goes On Around You”, was one of the band’s best tracks that, thanks in part to the organ throughout, has a bit of an early prog sound.  Following the single’s release, the band “broke up” then reformed with a new bassist, a new label and a new name, Portobello Explosion (the breakup and name change was apparently a ruse to get out of their previous record deal).  “We Can Fly”, the only release under the new name, is a hypnotic, dreamy psychedelic pop tune that is another definite highlight, while the b-side is a great cover of Bubble Puppy’s “Hot Smoke and Sassafrass”, a psychedelic hard rocker that shows some hints of early acid rock.  Closing out disc one is six tracks from BBC sessions.  Along with versions of three of the songs they released on singles are a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Another Saturday Night”, “Ebaneezer Beaver”, which ended up becoming “Jeremiah Dreams” on the Jawbone album, and “Strange Feeling”.  For the most part the sound quality on these is a little muddy and there isn’t anything in the liner notes giving any details on them, but they are definitely a nice addition.

As further proof of just how much potential The Mirage had, disc two contains twenty-three studio out-takes, the majority of which are originals that were never officially released.  The main drawback is that most are demo recordings, so they aren’t quite studio quality recordings.  While some are definitely better than others, pretty much everything here is better than the songs they were forced to release as singles, and there are plenty of highlights. Quite a few of the tracks show the influence of The Beatles from “Gone To Your Head” and “I Love Her”, both of which harken back to their earlier days, to Mrs Busby, which is more reminiscent of their later psychedelic side.  “I See The Rain” and “My Door No. 4” (aka “Lonely Highway”) are both gorgeous sixties pop tunes, with the former having a bit of a west coast feel and the latter enhanced with strings and woodwinds, sounding a bit like early Bee Gees.  A quirkier side to the band comes out in “Hello Enid”, a pop track with a touch of psychedelia and some harmonium, and the jaunty “How’s Your Pa”, which kicks off with some honky tonk piano and is an extremely catchy and a really fun listen.  “What Do I Care” is an uptempo pop track that has a bit of a rock side to it, while “Cathy Must Fly” (aka “Katherine”) is a simple little stripped down acoustic cut with a hint of psychedelia.  They venture into a little sunshine pop on “You And Me Baby, a track that is actually the band backing an unknown singer and highlighted with some outstanding harmonies.  The aforementioned “Ebaneezer Beaver”, a really good psychedelic track with some similarities to The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus”, shows up here twice in both electric and acoustic versions.  While there are also a handful of tracks here that somewhat miss the mark, overall these unreleased tracks are well worth the listen.

Unhappy with their new name and with a slight change in membership, the band returned as Jawbone, releasing the eponymous album found here on disc three.  Not only did they take their new name from a song by The Band, they also were a very strong influence on the musical direction the band took here.  This is apparent right out the gate with opening tracks “Honeysuckle Redwood Cabin”, which sounds like The Byrds playing with The Band, and “Homestead” with its strong vocal harmonies and organ fills.  “How’s Your Pa?” is the first of three tracks from The Mirage days that’s been rerecorded here, and is a quirky, yet extremely catchy track that has a vaudeville / circus vibe reminiscent of both The Beatles “Your Mother Should Know” and “Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite.”  Really setting itself apart from the other tracks, “Brave White Knight” is a gorgeous medieval folk rock ballad highlighted by harpsichord, acoustic guitar and Simon and Garfunkel like harmonies. After “Bulldog Goes West”, a more straight ahead rootsy rock track is their take on The Beatles’ “Across The Universe."  According to the liner notes, the band had an acetate of Lennon’s demo and The Beatles didn’t seem interested in recording it, so Jawbone did, only to have The Beatles end up releasing their own version.  While not as effects laden, this one still maintains the spirit of the song and is really quite an impressive track.  “Million Times Before” is up next and is a little reminiscent of both Dylan and The Byrds, followed by “Money Is," a catchy tune with some slightly funky keys, that at times brings to mind “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind” from the Lovin' Spoonful.  With “Mister Custer” the influence of The Band is definitely in the forefront again, while the largely acoustic “Song For Sonny” is very Dylan-esque with some nice pedal steel.  Closing out the album are two more rerecorded tracks from The Mirage with the psychedelic pop gem “Chicago Cottage” and The Beatles-ish psychedelic “Jeremiah Dreams” (a revamped version of “Ebaneezer Beaver”).  Both tracks benefit from better production here, giving them a warmer, fuller sound than before.  Following the album’s release, the band gave it one more go with the final track here, the single “Way Down Down”, another rootsier song in the vein of The Band, although a little more on the pop side.  Rounding out the box set is a booklet with a detailed essay and plenty of pics.  Once again Cherry Red and Grapefruit Records have done a stellar job giving us a chance to discover another sadly overlooked band.  

(Grapefruit Records)

Abrasive Wheels - Abrasive Wheels (1981-1984)

After forming in 1978, kicking around for a few years and going through quite a few personnel changes, May 1981 saw Leeds’ Abrasive Wheels self-release their three-song debut single, a short blast of fast, energetic punk with raw chainsaw guitars.  Over the next three years they would release several more singles and two albums and hit the UK Independent charts numerous times.  Abrasive Wheels (1981-1984) has compiled all these tracks from that first era of the band.  They followed with two more singles before their full-length debut was released in late 1982, and while those singles definitely fell in line with the first one, there is a somewhat noticeable improvement in the production as well as the songwriting, most notably on “Vicious Circle” and “Voice of Youth,” the latter of which would also show up on the album.  With the release of their debut album When The Punks Go Marching In, which hit number three on the UK Independent charts, they upped the ante once again in the production department and while they definitely didn’t lose any of what made them who they were, there was a little more diversity.  Songs like “Burn ‘em Down” “First Rule (No Rule)” are extremely catchy with really strong hooks, and you can hear The Clash coming through on a few cuts like “BBC” and “Just Another Punk Band.”  In 1983 the band released two singles and it was apparent from both their clothes and the music that there was a shift coming.  First up was a cover of “Jailhouse Rock,” which added a little punk aggression to the original, but really not much more.  On the other hand, the flipside, “Sonic Omen” was a gritty tune with plenty of hooks that reminds me a little of Social Distortion.  The next single was “Banner Of Hope”, which at times sounds a lot like The Skids, while the b-side “Law Of The Jungle” (also a track on the second album) was more or less a rockabilly track.  Early 1984 found the band releasing their sophomore album, Black Leather Girl, and while it still managed to reach number eight on the UK Independent charts it was quite different from their debut.  Looking back today a lot of their fans now say they really like it, but at the time it was not what they were looking for.  The high energy was there, but the faster pace was largely replaced by a more muscular sound that was melodic and bordered on rock instead of punk.  The production was vastly improved as well (it was recorded at 10cc’s home studio Strawberry Studios) and there were a lot more vocal harmonies.  There really isn’t a bad track to be found with songs like “Maybe Tomorrow”, “The Prisoner” and “Black Leather Girl” among the highlights.  A couple of other strong cuts that really set themselves apart are the title track, which has a saxophone throughout, and “Devil On My Shoulder”, driven by some excellent percussion.  Both have a really cool rockabilly thread running through them and are somewhat reminiscent of The Cramps.  Following the album’s release and some extensive touring, the band came home and started work on album number three, but by that time the scene had changed and according to guitarist Dave Ryan - "it just wasn't spontaneous, we were having to think about it too much,” and the band broke up (a new version of the band did reform in 2003 and appears to still be playing today).  Rounded out with a booklet full of pictures of the band, their singles and albums, plus a great interview with guitarist Dave Ryan this is an outstanding collection.

(Captain Oi!)

Interview with Culpepper

Featuring Paul Leslie Culp (formerly of Shaky Hands) and Dana Lacona (formerly of Starlite Desperation), along with Joel Wasko and Paul’s song Max, Portland, Oregon’s Culpepper has recently released their outstanding new eight song debut Superreactor.  I recently had the chance to talk to Paul about the album, having a father and son in the band, their plans for the future (including an upcoming EP) and more. 

 

Can you give me a little background on the band?

Dana and I are from a shithole town in central California. This was pre internet when weirdo freak kids discovered music by talking to the weirdo freak adult who worked at the record store or drove to an open field to tune into the local AM college radio station. There wasn’t a lot of us so when we met we tended to run in packs. We listened to bands like Sonic Youth, Flaming Lips, Pixies, Spiritualized - things that sound great on drugs. Dana could play guitar and his brother played drums, so I learned how to play sloppy bass and we started a “band.”

 

Dana went on to form Starlight Desperation, moved to LA and played with bands like BJM, Yeah Yeahs, Makeup, and Detroit Cobras. I moved to Portland and played with a band called The Shaky Hands and my own band, Lonesome Radio Heart. We kept in touch here and there but rarely saw each other. 

 

Around 2018-19 I started Culpepper with Joel on bass and Max on drums. We rented an abandoned theater in SE Portland and started writing and recording. Then the pandemic hit and I was writing alone. I would send the bones of songs to Joel and Max and they added parts. Then I got sick and it all went on hold for 6 months. 

 

We started piecing it all together after I recovered but the mood and sound was so different from what we started with. We were wrestling with this when Dana moved to Portland. He joined the project and it came together real quick after that. We finished the album and started playing shows. 

 

The lyrics are credited to you and then music to everyone.  How does the songwriting process tend to work?

 

I write the bones of a song. Sometimes it’s just a raw acoustic song and sometimes it’s a rough demo with just enough accompaniment to get the point across. Then I bring it to the band and it gets ripped up and pieced back together. I think of it like we’re doing a cover of the demo. Just let go of the demo and see what happens. We usually end up with something completely unrecognizable. I think it’s more interesting when you take a little crafted pop song that you might find precious and then sacrifice it to the band. That precious song is somewhere in there but it’s no longer yours and it’s no longer obvious. It’s richer and augmented by fellow songwriters with their own influences. 

 

Your bio talks about a completely different set of songs that were being worked on when a series of life events occurred and a whole new set of songs became the album.  Did any of the original songs make it to the album and do you think we will ever hear any of those other songs?

 

Nothing from before made it onto the album. It was all new material. However, we recently recorded an EP at Alberta Abbey with Sean Flora, a fantastic producer and engineer (won a Grammy for The Shins, Wincing the Night Away) who helped us record two older songs and two new ones. But they also went through the Culpepper grinder and turned into something new. So we’re excited to put that out soon. 

 

To me alot of the lyrics have a bit of a tragic element to them and some seem a bit apocalyptic.  Would you agree and can you elaborate a little on that?

 

Yeah. My wife and I dissolved a 20 year marriage, my dad died, a good friend of mine died, and the pandemic hit. Everything was on fire. Centuries of racial injustice, government mistrust, white nationalism, batshit conspiracy theories turning mainstream, transphobia, wealth disparity, and the beginning of the collapse of traditional work culture.  We got tear gassed, chased by Nazis, and cops and the feds were abducting people in unmarked cars - absolute fucking insanity. We’re irreversibly fucked up because of it. That’s some long lasting collective human trauma. 

However, I have to note, I’ve always written in apocalyptic tones. It comes with the ticket. If anything, Superreactor is the least apocalyptic thing I’ve ever written. It’s just a matter of style at this point. 

 

There seems to be a bit of diversity from track to track, but then at the same time, it’s a very cohesive set of songs.  Was that something you strived for?

 

Thank you for saying that. Honestly I don’t know. They were all written in a short amount of time. Dana and I spent a lot of time mixing it ourselves. Something happened there to keep it together. Collective taste and influences go a long way in a band. 

 

In your press info there is a lot of emphasis on the indie rock and psychedelic aspect of your music, but I feel like there is a bit of an underlying alt country influence on some of the songs including the great Morricone flavored spaghetti western like guitar on “Big Bang” and “All Hands”.  Do you feel that’s accurate?

 

Yeah, you’re not wrong. I was raised on country. One of the first songs I learned was “My heroes have always been cowboys.” One of the first songs I wrote was called “Johnny Cash.” I knew Morricone before I knew John Williams. It’s baked in from a young age. 

 

Another tune that sticks out a bit from the rest is “Lilly Says”.  It has more of a spacy psychedelic sound that wouldn’t be all that out of place at a rave.  Can you tell me a little about that track?

 

I think the ravers would disagree. It’s a protest song. It takes place on a biblical scale so it’s naturally psychedelic. Otherwise it’s deadly serious. But you can dance to it, for sure. 

 

“Going Home” sounds like it has some horns in it.  Is that what I’m hearing?

 

That there is Joel on trumpet. He crazy. 

 

There is a really cool little acoustic guitar section in the middle of “Plague Champagne”.  Can you tell me about that?

 

I recorded that in a studio apartment. I wanted it to be electric guitar but all my stuff was at the theater, so I improvised. We all ended up liking the juxtaposition of the acoustic weaving in with all these big synths. Plus it’s an intimate song and it helps emphasize that, I think. 

 

I hear a little of Bowie’s “Heroes” influence on “Coming Awake”.  Is that something that you thought of when recording it?

 

Nope. We added that last. That was Dana having fun with keys. Otherwise it was way more Tom Petty than David Bowie. 

 

Can you tell me a little about the dynamic of having a father and son in the band?

 

Max and my two oldest kids, Sam and Erik, were both raised playing music with me and everyone else. Max and Sam have their own band, Weehawk, and side projects like Mannies, and Kill Michael. They were writing songs at six years old. We speak the same musical language and geek out about music like old friends and bandmates. When I bring a song to the table, Max knows what I’m going for. If not, all I have to say is “that part in that one Kinks song” and they know. Maybe that’s weird but it feels pretty natural to me. And I think it’s pretty fucking cool. 

 

I see you’ve been playing some live shows.  How have those been going?

 

Amazing. Playing live feels like home. We always want to put on a show, as opposed to going to see a couple dudes playing their songs staring at their shoes. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. That’s half of my favorite bands. But we appreciate a bit of theatrics and showmanship. Showing out like we mean it. We want to create memorable, live experiences that are worth the time and door charge. Worth getting a sitter, inviting friends, getting dressed up. That’s our goal. We’re just beginning. 

 

I didn’t see any mention of physical copies of Superreactor.  Is there anything available or in the works if not?

 

Vinyl albums will be here right after Christmas! They’ve been on back order for a long time but we’re excited to hold them and cuddle up to them at night. We’ll announce that and shirts, stickers, custom incense, sigils, homunculi, summoning rituals, and more soon on our Instagram and Bandcamp. 

 

Now that the album is out there what can we be expecting next?

 

We’re mixing a 4 song EP as I write this and are currently writing our second album. Also apocalyptic but with a positive spin and totally danceable. We’re also building a studio to record us and other local Portland friends and maybe grow that into something new. Either way expect a 2023 summer banger. 

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

 

Y’all are perfect just as you are. Just try to be better tomorrow. 

(Culpepper - Bandcamp)

The Rocky Valentines - The Rocky Valentines 

After contributing to the most recent album from his dad’s band Starflyer 59, Charlie Martin has now released the eponymous debut EP from his one-man project The Rocky Valentines.  As evidenced most notably on EP highlight, the laid-back “Shooting With One Eye”, with its contrasting pop melodies and slow, downtuned guitar, there is often a shoegazer undercurrent throughout the four songs.  He also meshes it with power pop on “Off & On”, a darker, almost punk edge on “Driving Blind” and the more straight ahead, alt rock of “Microphone”.  Definitely a promising start to his solo career and one I will be keeping an eye on.

(The Rocky Valentines - Bandcamp)  

Codename: Rocky - Blueprint

Initially forming in 1998 and releasing two albums before breaking up in 2005, Southern California’s Codename Rocky reunited in 2012, and in 2016 released album number three.  A year after its release vocalist Daniel Torres left the band and was replaced with new vocalist Justin Picon and guitarist Matthew Montoyo.  That brings us to the release of their latest EP Blueprint, the first with their new lineup.  While the four tracks all have their roots in ska punk they do a great job of keeping things diverse and fresh.  They kick the EP off in high gear with the hard-charging, in your face “Downswing”, a track that definitely emphasizes their punk side and has some great gang vocals in the chorus. “Post Prescriptions” then opens like a hardcore tune before moving in a punkier ska direction.  The band slows things down a little with “Best If Used By”, starting off with a laid-back ska shuffle before settling into a really nice midtempo ska punk groove.  Closing out the disc is “Silos”, a catchy track with a classic ska punk sound.  According to the band there is an album's worth of material already recorded, but they are releasing them in small doses and with Blueprint they are definitely off to a great start.  

(Wiretap Records)      

Senseless Things - The First Of Too Many (Expanded Edition)

Originally released in 1991, this new three CD box set marks the Thirtieth Anniversary of The First Of Too Many, the sophomore album from the English band Senseless Things.  While their debut Postcard C.V. was released in the UK on Way Cool Records, this was their first on the major label Epic Records.  Over the course of four albums and numerous singles they did have some minor hits in the UK, but they never really took off in the US and were dropped from the label there after this one album (this might explain why they haven’t been on my radar before now).  Along with a version of the original 1991 mix of the album, this set also includes a brand-new mix from founding members Morgan Nicholls and Cass Browne.  They went back to original two-inch 24-track master tapes and created a fantastic new mix that is crisper and cleaner and has a lot more punch to it.  Having said that it still hasn’t lost any of the charm of the original.  Sadly this is also a tribute to vocalist and songwriter Mark Keds, who passed away last year.

Often straddling the line between punk and pop, sometime moving more towards one or the other, and occasionally shifting in a completely different direction, the album is a really fun, extremely catchy collection.  The perfect examples of this are the opening tracks, which are two of the best on the album. “Everybody’s Gone” is a hook heavy pop punk tune with a hint of grebo (think Ned’s Atomic Dustbin or The Wonder Stuff) and “Best Friend” is a punchy pop tune with never ending hooks and great harmonies that’s just a little ragged around the edges and an absolute feel-good gem (the lyrics here are very bittersweet following Keds passing).  Driven by a thumping bass “It’s Cool To Hang Out” is an interesting cut that kind of sounds like a grebo band with Flea sitting in, while “19 Blue” shuffles along with an infectious melancholy groove only to be broken apart from time to time with brutal blasts of guitar and drums, and “Should I Feel It” is pure power pop, but with a punky edge.  On “Lip Radio” they completely shift gears with a gentle, jangly guitar driven tune that has a strong early REM feel, while “In Love Again” is another straight-ahead power pop tune that often channels Cheap Trick and actually has an intro quite reminiscent of “Surrender”.  The bass moves to the forefront again on “Got It At The Delmar”, a more dance oriented, Happy Mondays-ish grebo tune.  “American Dad” is a ballad that’s a little darker and heavier, treading a little too close to “grunge light” (a la Bush) and therefore one of the album’s weaker cuts in my opinion.  Thankfully they make up for that quickly with “Radio Spiteful”, a fun, extremely catchy pop tune that you will have a hard time not bopping your head to and “Wrong Number”, a ragged country punk track complete with a little banjo.  Things slow things down a bit to close the album out with the grungy ballad “Different Tongue” and “Fishing At Tesco’s”, a very mellow track that has a really nice laid-back groove.   

In addition to the two mixes of the album found on the first two discs, the third is a live recording of their performance at Camden Palace on June 22, 1991 during the tour supporting The First Of Too Many.  Initially recorded on a 24-track Mobile Recording Unit, Nicholls has restored and remixed these recordings as well and the results are outstanding.  In just over forty-one minutes the band tears through eighteen tracks including seven from The First Of… and four from their debut.  They sound extremely tight and energetic and they do a great job of pulling off the various styles of music, although for the most part they stick closer to the faster and punkier tracks.  Whether you are an old fan of the band or you’ve never heard of them before, I would highly recommend checking out this outstanding box set. 

(Cherry Red Records)

High Noon Kahuna - Killing Spree

After supporting each other through the years in various bands including Admiral Browning, Akris, Internal Void, The Larrys and Black Blizzard, three Frederick, Maryland musicians, Tim Otis (guitar), Brian Goad (drums) and Paul Cogle (bass/vocals) have come together as High Noon Kahuna.  Following their eponymous 2020 EP they are now back with Killing Spree.  With a foundation often, but not always, rooted in surf rock and spaghetti western, they add in elements of everything from doom, stoner rock and noise to punk, funk and jazz to create a refreshing set of songs.  “Parachute” kicks the album off and has a great surf rock intro mixed with a bit of fuzz and distortion.  Once the vocals come along the intensity picks up and really sets the tone for what’s to come.  “Danger Noodle” is a slower, more downtuned track that has a droning doom intensity with a bit of a stoner vibe, but still has a jaunty surf rock undercurrent.  The first of two instrumentals, “Sharktooth” is a heavier surf tune with a solid groove and a beat that has a bit of a funk feel to it.  Exploding with fuzzed out guitars and reverb, “Another Way Around” is one of the album highlights.  It’s more of a straightforward upbeat stoner rock track, but occasionally slips into a bit of a surf groove.  The second instrumental is “Black Lodge” and it’s a track that really sets itself apart from the rest of the album.  It almost feels like they are just jamming, opening with a slow, kind of lazy groove that meshes surf with a jazzier feel and then intensifying bit by bit before ending in a feedback laden blast.  Clocking in at just under ten minutes the aptly titled “Sand Storm closes the disc out.  After starting off like a classic stoner rock track with some really impressive guitar work, about halfway in they put the brakes on, and it slows down into a sludgy doom drone before turning into a pummeling wall of distortion.  This is quite an impressive release and I'm Really looking forward to hearing where they go from here.    

(High Noon Kahuna - Facebook)

Hard Meat - The Space Between - The Recordings 1969-1970

Considering they were only together for a little over two years, they only released two albums and are definitely not a band that most people have ever heard of, it would seem quite unlikely that Hard Meat would ever be given the box set treatment, but one listen to this three-disc set, The Space Between – The Recordings 1969-1970, and it’s obvious they are definitely very deserving.  The music is diverse and a bit ahead of its time with Mick Dolan’s impressive guitar playing, both acoustic and electric, leading the way, accompanied by his brother Steve on bass and some very creative drumming from Mick Carless (sadly all three have now passed away and never got to see this release).  The band formed in 1968, were quickly signed to Island Records and recorded an album set for release in 1969.  In preparation for the album’s release, they issued a single with a cover of The Beatles’ “Rain” on the A-side and the original “Burning Up Years” on the flip.  Even though the album was completely recorded, the band was dropped from the label prior to its release and with the exception of the two tracks on the single, it remained unreleased until its inclusion here.  Not long after being dropped the band signed with Warner Bros and released two albums in 1970 (both included here) before breaking up in early 1971. 

Instead of starting with disc one I’m going to jump ahead to disc three, which is the previously unreleased album that was set to be their debut and is now seeing the light of day thirty-three years later.  They open with two of the album’s three covers with their take on The Beatles “Rain” (also the A-side to the single that was to precede the album), and Dylan’s “Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine”.  With The Beatles’ track they do a great job of respecting the original while still making it their own, especially with the psychedelic guitars, and the Dylan track has a bit of a rootsy feel to it with some piano that brings to mind The Band.  “Liquid Boats” is a gorgeous instrumental that is an acoustic guitar showcase with hints of a Spanish feel.  The horn-laden, bluesy rocker “Walking Down Up Street” is reminiscent of the early days of Chicago, although a little heavier.  The album’s second instrumental, the awkwardly titled “Erection”, is an interesting cut.  It is largely a drum solo with guitar and bass accompaniment (also with a little mouth harp) that merges prog with some jazz vibes (especially in the drumming).  Next up is the final cover and one that on paper seems a strange choice, but to their credit they really make work.  In their very capable hands “Strange Fruit” (of course most notably performed by Billie Holiday) is a very sparse acoustic version that is extremely haunting.  In the CD booklet Richie Havens is mentioned as an influence and that can really be heard on “Run Shaker Life”, which mixes acoustic and slightly proggy electric guitars with congas and an easygoing groove making it one of the album highlights.  “Burning Up Years” was the flipside to the single and is a solid rocker with a hint of prog, especially in the shifting tempos, along with some blues.  “Don’t Chase Your Tail” closes things out and is another rootsier tune that is really hypnotic and is again at times reminiscent of The Band. 

Not wasting any time, shortly after that album was shelved, they were back with their eponymous debut (disc one in this collection), which included new versions of two tracks from the unreleased album and five new tracks.  Kicking things off is “Through A Window”, ironically also the title of their second release, a tune that combines swirling acoustic and electric guitars with shifting tempos that give it an early prog groove.  “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” is a mellow, dreamy sounding tune full of swirling psychedelic guitar that at times have a hint of jazz, while “Space Between” takes the psychedelia in more of a blues direction.  Even though you would be hard pressed to find a bad track in this whole box, “My Time Shows No Face” stands head and shoulders above them all and should have been a huge hit.  It is an extremely catchy, hook heavy cut with a rootsier sound driven by acoustic guitar, gentle drums, piano and enhanced by flute from Mighty Baby’s Ian Whiteman.  “Run Shaker Life”, the first rerecorded track, is expanded here from its original four and a half minutes to over ten.  It still has the Richie Havens vibe but is a bit heavier and harder edged with a lot of jamming and is full of shifting tempos with some outstanding guitar work.  Closing out the disc are the laid-back psychedelic blues shuffle of “Universal Joint”, which is a bit reminiscent of Cream, and a new take on the Dylan cover “Most Likely You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine”, which isn’t too radically different here. 

Later in 1970 the band was back with their sophomore effort Through A Window, which is a little mellower than the debut, but just as strong.  Opener “On The Road” is a six plus minute track that has a loose jam feel to it with some hints of psychedelia and more great guitar.  Highlighted by strong harmonies, some gorgeous acoustic guitar along with some flute, “New Day” is a pretty ballad with an interesting upbeat, jam-like breakdown in the middle complete with congas.  The instrumental “Freewheel” is a laid-back track full of really great acoustic guitar and some light jazz influenced drumming, while “Smile As You Go Under” is a really catchy mellow rocker.  Next up are a couple of covers with the rocking blues of Graham Bond’s “I Want You”, which has some nice longer instrumental passages and “From The Prison”, a stark, acoustic folk tune written by Jerry Merrick and originally recorded by Richie Havens (Havens’ influence is very present once again here).   Perfectly titled, “A Song Of Summer” is just that, an upbeat track that is just a real feel-good song.  Gorgeous harmonies, a nice mix of acoustic and electric guitars and a little organ come together to create a powerful midtempo rocker with “Love” (credited in the liner notes to Bob Whale) and closing out the disc is “The Ballad Of Marmalade Emma and Teddy Grimes”, which was released as a single and again had all the makings of a hit.  Based on the true story of a couple of vagrants in Colchester it's an acoustic guitar driven track with a mellow, easygoing groove that's at times reminiscent of The Faces.

Following the album's release, the band did some US and UK touring, including opening for The Flying Burrito Brothers on their 1970 UK tour.  In January 1971, as they were preparing to do another US tour, Carless decided to leave the band, and shortly after the brothers decided to close the book on the band.  The brothers went on to form Big Front Yard, who were said to sound quite similar to Hard Meat, but only released one single.  Mick Dolan also went on to do a lot of engineering and producing at Millstream Recording Studio in Chelteham.  Rounding out the box is a very informative booklet with an essay giving a great history of the band and lots of pictures and memorabilia.  Esoteric and Cherry Red have done it again, giving another greatly underappreciated band their well-deserved just due.

(Esoteric Recordings)