Faster and Louder: Kevin K/Ricky Rat

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Kevin K/Ricky Rat - Party Store

Kevin K (Road Vultures, Lone Cowboys) and Ricky Rat (Trash Brats, Dead Boys) making an album together is an idea so great that it's shocking it didn't already happen decades ago! When it comes to old school punk rock, these two guys are as legit as it gets. Kevin K has literally been playing in punk bands since the '70s, and Ricky Rat came up just a few years behind him. Just as importantly, these two are kindred spirits on both a personal and musical level. Out on Circumstantial Records, Party Store is very much like the other forty-some albums Kevin K has played on over the years. It's real deal American punk music for fans of Johnny Thunders, the Ramones, and Dead Boys. A Kevin K album never disappoints, and having Ricky Rat in the mix on guitar makes Party Store an extra special affair. This release features a great mixture of songs from an old timer who clearly has still got it. "Identity Crisis" and "She's Cold" are vintage Kevin K punk rock pop songs - strengthened all the more by Ricky Rat's melodic and totally rocking guitar work. Elsewhere, there are ballads ("You Don't Call"), bluesy numbers ("Shame"), and straight-up old school punk rippers ("Dog House"). The deeply emotional "Song For Lulu" is darn close to a pure pop song, and it's one of Kevin K's finest moments as a songwriter. And while I swing pretty far to the left politically, I must say I get a real chuckle out of "Sensitive Generation".

In this rotten year 2020, having new music from Kevin K is like comfort food for the soul. I had super high expectations when I saw Ricky Rat's name attached to this project, and I must say that I was not disappointed. If you've been a longtime Kevin K fan, Party Store is exactly what you'd expect it to be. If you've somehow never heard of Kevin K and Ricky Rat, this album would be a great introduction to a couple of living legends of the punk/glam/power pop scene. Digital album is available from Amazon. Order the CD from Altamont Records!