The Control Freaks - TV Generation

Here's what you were waiting for, kids! Back with their fourth album, The Control Freaks do what The Control Freaks do best. I couldn't quite put my finger on why I enjoy this band so much until Greg Lowery himself described the music he writes as "fast, catchy, stupid punk rock." YES! That's it! TV Generation, out today on Sweet Time Records, is 12 tracks of fast, catchy, stupid punk rock done to perfection. To me, there's nothing harder to do in music than write simple songs. So the genius of Greg Lowery should not go unappreciated. If you liked the first three Control Freaks album, you are sure to like this one as well. And if you didn't like the first three Control Freaks albums, there's almost no way you're reading this right now. 

It has occurred to me that today's punk rock scene would be far better off if there were more bands out there still ripping off Greg Lowery. But in the absence of that, at least we can count on Greg Lowery to still sound like Greg Lowery. For TV Generation, the band lineup has changed. Amy Munoz returns on rhythm guitar and vocals. Matt K. Shrugg (Zodiac Killers, Losin' Streaks) is on lead guitar. New drummer totally Mike kills it, but you might not want to get too attached to him since he has already left the band. As for the album, you know what to expect. Every song clocks in somewhere around two minutes, and there's no messing around with a winning formula. This is fun and brilliantly dumb three-chord punk rock with a fuck-you attitude and songs that will have you bobbing your head and singing along. With the opening 1-2 punch of "Burn It Down" and "TV Generation," you are quickly assured that the G.O.A.T.'s magic touch remains fully in tact. No aspirations of modernization or maturity are apparent. Songs like "Pathetic," "Panic Attack," "Please Don't Hate Me," and "You're So Revolting" live up to their promising titles. 

Leave it to Sweet Time Records, which has become THE label for primo garage punk in the 2020s, to have the good sense to put out this record. Is this the best Control Freaks album yet? Well I certainly won't say that it's not! The first 100 copies are on neon green vinyl. And in case you've been living in a cave since 2017 and don't own any of The Control Freaks' albums, you can get all four in a very limited edition box set for just 80 bucks. Now that's a deal and a steal!

-L.R.

https://thecontrolfreaks.bandcamp.com/album/tv-generation
https://sweettime.bandcamp.com/album/tv-generation
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKDbanNA-ciqeDB2rbDkgpA
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/
https://www.instagram.com/controlfreaksband/
https://www.facebook.com/sweettimebooking/

The Control Freaks - Get Some Help

For their third album, The Control Freaks have surprised us with several ballads, a beautiful piano piece that will move you to tears, and a seven-minute operatic number about the pointlessness of human existence. Just kidding! The Control Freaks will always sound like The Control Freaks, and who would want it any other way? Delayed six weeks by the record-pressing crisis of 2021 but out today on Dirty Water Records, Get Some Help is hands-down the album of the year. It's also one of the best records that Greg Lowery has ever played on -- which is really saying something! On board for Get Some Help are new rhythm guitarist & co-lead singer Amy and new drummer Rob (not to be confused with lead guitarist Rob!). The band is sounding as good as ever with this formidable new lineup. As always, The Control Freaks combine the coolest elements of all of Greg's previous bands into one perfect punk band. If you loved Supercharger, The Rip Offs, The Infections, and The Zodiac Killers but have yet to hear The Control Freaks, you've got some catching up to do! The Dirty Water promo kit heralds this album as a "future classic", and I will not argue that point. I'm notoriously curmudgeonly about how so much of today's so-called "garage punk" is neither garage nor punk. Maybe I'm just not keeping up with what the kids are digging these days, but I find myself longing for the "Rip Off Records" sound on a constant basis. Well here's the real deal from the guy who literally defined that sound! 

Get Some Help is 13 tracks of catchy three-chord punk rock full of humor and raw energy. The songs rarely go too far beyond the two-minute mark and lend themselves to a variety of responses such as singing along, dancing in your underwear, and flipping off your neighbors. We'd probably be grateful if Greg were still making records half as good as he did 20-25 years ago, but honestly he's still in peak form with this band. If you were out and about and heard the title track, you might think it was an old Rip Offs song that you somehow missed. When I first heard "You're A Moron" and "F.B.I"., my response was that you've got to be some kind of genius to pull off songs this dumb! "My I.Q." brings much-needed attention to a mysterious medical condition that afflicts millions of young men in the presence of attractive females. "Gonna Be A Riot" and "Lockdown" are topical and great fun at the same time. "Popgun" literally throws it back to 1977 with a terrific cover of Mary Monday's Bay Area punk classic. 

I don't know how they've done it, but The Control Freaks have managed to get better with each new album without changing anything about their approach to music. This band is the walking embodiment of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Get Some Help is the sort of classic style punk rock record that I can never get enough of. Credit Greg Lowery for always finding the right partners in crime. Amy Munoz (an absolute powerhouse on vocals!) and Rob #2 have stepped right in as if they were destined from birth to be Control Freaks. I have a great deal of respect for the band and label for holding off on the official release of Get Some Help until the LPs were in hand. That makes the long-awaited release day more special. If you don't like this album, you need to get some help!

-L.R.

https://thecontrolfreaksband.bandcamp.com/album/get-some-help-2
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF
https://www.ripoffrecordsstore.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dirtywaterrecords/
https://dirtywaterrecords.bandcamp.com/music

The Control Freaks - She's The Bomb

I know what you're probably thinking: "Is this another Control Freaks album already?!" You're damn right it is, and it's truly an occasion worth celebrating! Take the day off and blare this thing until the neighbors beg to come over! She's The Bomb follows 2017's (rightfully) acclaimed debut Mindless Entertainment. It's out today on Slovenly Recordings - the planet's preeminent record label for shit-hot garage punk rock and roll!

If you've been keeping score at home, you're likely aware that The Control Freaks released an impressive four singles in between albums. If you missed some or all of them, Greg Lowery and the gang have got you covered. Ace 7" tracks "I Hate Your Face", "Hate List", "I Am Crime", and "Don't Mess With Jessica" all appear on the new album. It would have been kind of a shame if they didn't, because they are killer tunes! But fear not: if you have been a loyal Control Freaks supporter and dutifully kept up with every new release, there are still plenty of new songs on She's The Bomb that'll knock your socks off. I would describe this album as the best of everything Greg Lowery has ever been about. In these songs, I can hear the budget rock spirit of Supercharger, the genius dumb songwriting of The Rip Offs, the '77-style punk leanings of The Infections, and the gleeful snottiness of the Zodiac Killers. And with covers of lesser-known first wave punk classics quickly becoming a signature of this band, you'll be delighted to discover that this album features not one but TWO covers of Aussie '77 punks Babeez! (I checked the rule book: this sort of maneuver is extremely rare but completely legal!)

As good as Mindless Entertainment was, She's The Bomb totally blows it away (no pun intended, I swear!). The Control Freaks have fully hit their stride, and Lowery's chemistry with singer/guitarist/keyboardist Sherrilynn Nelson is a joy to behold. Whereas there were three or four tracks that really stood out for me on Mindless Entertainment, She's The Bomb is stacked with smash hits from start to finish. And Nelson's zippy keyboards definitely add something cool and new to the Control Freaks sound. Given that I am striving to be less prone to hyperbole in my old age, I won't come out with some sort of "this is the best record that Lowery has ever put his name on!" type hot take. But I will say that this album is very comparable to the classic records he's had a hand in creating. If the title track sounds like the perfect combination of Supercharger and The Rip Offs, doesn't that make total sense? "Tell Me Why" ought to elicit a "Hell yeah!" from any diehard budget rocker, while "Time's Up" is such a prime slice of sing-along '77 punk that The Control Freaks might accidentally cover it someday. "Creep You Out" gives me the same goosebumps I got the first time I dropped the needle on Kill...The Infections. The only thing preventing "Hate List" from being adopted as the new national anthem is that "I Hate Your Face" might be an even better choice.

After nearly 30 years of being top dog in the garage punk world, Greg Lowery shows no signs of passing the torch or changing his approach to music. And why would he if can continue to make records this awesome? I suppose if you're looking for musical innovation, state of the art production, or deeply sensitive lyrics about the frailty of humankind, you might take a pass. But if you're dying for a fucking perfect garage punk album, She's The Bomb is exactly what the doctor ordered! First aid kit sold separately.



-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/the-control-freaks-shes-the-bomb-lp 
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/ 
https://www.slovenly.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/slovenlyrec 

The Control Freaks - Double Dose Of Hate

Photo by David Greenfield

Wait, The Control Freaks are putting out another single? How about that: I am the bearer of good news! Their last single, "I Am Crime", just came out last month on Bachelor Records (Order it here!). Next up is Double Dose of Hate, due out November 2 on the fabulous Dirty Water Records. This single literally IS a double dose of hate, as both tracks are odes to...you guessed it...hate! Who can't get behind that?! Sherrilynn Nelson (formerly keyboardist for The Omens) loved The Control Freaks so much that she learned guitar just so she could join the band. "Time's Up" from the last single was her CF songwriting debut. Double Dose of Hate opens with another song she penned called "I Hate Your Face". That's a damn fine title, and sure enough the song lives up to it! I can never get enough of this sort of old-style catchy punk rock, and I really dig the back-and-forth exchange between Sherrilynn and Greg. For a song about hate, those lyrics are surprisingly profound. And about 99 out of 100 humans will fully relate to that line "I'm still in love with you/But I hate your face". On the flip, "Hatelist" has a nastier edge to it and brings to mind Greg's late, great band Zodiac Killers. This one will have you pumping your fist and shouting along in fervent dedication to everyone who's ever wronged you or otherwise pissed you off. Those lyrics are so hilariously scathing that I feel Greg is entitled to some sort of literary prize!

When it comes to garage punk in the year 2018, The Control Freaks are showing everyone how it's done. Double Dose of Hate is their fourth single - and in my opinion their best yet. I say this because of the impossible time I'm having trying to determine which of these two tracks is "the hit". One song can be played at max volume while you curse the name of significant others past and present. The other will feed your abhorrence for just about everyone else. Arguments over which track is superior could very well lead to drunken fist fights and ruined friendships. Do we really want that? So let's just call it a tie and agree that a double dose of hate is exactly what this world needs. Pre-order here!




-L.R.

https://thecontrolfreaksband.bandcamp.com/album/double-dose-of-hate
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/ 
https://www.dirtywaterrecords.co.uk/ 
https://www.facebook.com/dirtywaterrecords/ 

The Control Freaks - "I Am Crime"

Hey! We have new music from The Control Freaks! "I Am Crime" is the band's third single and first since last year's "No Action"/"Don't Mess With Jessica" double shot. This one, like the previous two, has been released by the venerable Bachelor Records. By now you ought to know that The Control Freaks are very much what you'd expect from a Greg Lowery fronted band. The spirit behind Supercharger and The Rip Offs lives on, minus the super lo-fi recording quality. Both cuts here are originals. A-side "I Am Crime" is a classic GL composition, equally informed by '70s punk and '90s garage trash. If you like fun, snotty punk, you will want to crank this one up all the way. On the flip, "Time's Up" is the first Control Freaks song written by Sherrilyn Nelson.

If you long for the glory days of garage-punk, long no more and enjoy the fact that bands like The Control Freaks and Ruler are around and kicking all kinds of ass. Honestly you need to own The Control Freaks' complete catalog. But "I Am Crime" would not be a bad place to start!



-L.R.

https://shop.bachelorrecords.com/controlfreakscrime 
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/ 
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords/ 

The Control Freaks - "No Action"/"Don't Mess With Jessica"

It pretty much goes without saying that The Control Freaks are the best thing to happen to garage punk music in a long time. The band's debut album on Slovenly was absolutely the instant classic I expected it to be. If you don't have it yet, go get it! If you do have it and crave more, The Control Freaks have followed up with a double shot of new singles on Bachelor Record Company. Of course this shit is hot, and it's all previously unreleased!

I think it has to be intentional that The Control Freaks' initial releases have been with two of the labels most responsible for keeping real garage-punk alive in the 2010s. If you go to order the new singles from the Bachelor store, you'll see a totally spot-on rant about what most people think "garage punk" is in 2017 versus what it meant in the '90s. That line about Ty Segall made me laugh so hard that I almost snorted unsweetened tea through my nose. The Control Freaks are the genuine article, and both of these singles are essential additions to the catalog of Greg Lowery fronted bands. "No Action" throws it all the way back to the budget rock stylings of Supercharger. It's catchy and rockin' without going overboard on the tempo. What a banger! I will not judge you if you decide to call in sick and play the song on repeat all morning. It's definitely the kind of tune that will make you wanna dance around the house in your underwear. Once you're finally ready to flip the record, a robust version of Protex's "I Can Only Dream" awaits on the B-side.

The second of the two singles is called "Don't Mess With Jessica". Again, this is a perfect example of garage punk the way it ought to be. Right down to the primal three-chord thumping and exuberant co-ed vocals, this could legitimately pass for a long-lost Rip Off Records track circa the mid-to-late '90s. Once you make it through this song, you will have abandoned any lingering temptations to mess with Jessica. And how about another cover from the heyday of punk/powerpop? The Control Freaks have at The Rousers' "Rock N Roll or Run", and I have a feeling thay a lot of people will now be heading off in search of the original.

So I guess you could be a cheap skate and buy one of these two singles based on which A-side you like better. But come on. It's The Control Freaks. Buy both and listen often! Make garage punk trashy again!


-L.R.

http://shop.bachelorrecords.com/ControlFreaksNoAction 
http://shop.bachelorrecords.com/ControlFreaksJessica 
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/ 
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords/ 

Here are Control Freaks!

So we literally waited a dozen years for new music from Greg Lowery. Just based on the sheer passage of time, there had to be cause for concern. Would the 2017 version of Greg Lowery still be the guy we so fondly remembered, or would he have reinvented himself as a serious "artist" backed by his own orchestra and choir? What if he'd been spending the last dozen years writing a triple LP rock opera about his feelings? What if he'd decided to go electronic? Okay, I'm lying. No one ever had cause for concern. Greg Lowery will never make "serious" music, and he will never call himself an artist. That is why we love him, and that is why we already knew that Control Freaks' Mindless Entertainment would be one of the year's mandatory punk rock purchases. In fact, I must recommend bypassing the rest of this review and proceeding immediately to the Slovenly Recordings web store or Bandcamp page to secure your copy. Seriously: go buy the thing! If you're still reading right now, you are stubborn and disobedient. I must say those are qualities that I admire.

If you were one of those individuals who could never get into Lowery's terrific Zodiac Killers because they deviated from the Supercharger/Rip Offs/Infections blueprint, Bay Area sensations Control Freaks should be much, much more to your liking. Mindless Entertainment fully lives up to its title - delighting all who crave the sort of trashy and wonderfully stupid punk rock goodness that made Lowery a household name. And with so few bands even trying to pull off this type of thing today, it might as well be the g.o.a.t. who steps up and shows the kids how it's done. What's cool about this band is the way Lowery and his co lead singer Natalie Sweet (The Shanghais) play off of each other. The two take turns on lead vocals, and some songs are straight-up duets. That snotty co-ed vocal blend brings to mind many of my favorite Rip Off Records releases, and clearly this was a band formed in the spirit of the glory days of garage-punk. The band finds that-just right mix of raw, obnoxious, and epidemic-level catchy. The theme song "Control Freaks" launches a rocket straight back to the Rip Offs' heyday, and then the fantastic "PTSD" features a star turn from Sweet on lead vocals (the one-sheet hilariously likens her singing to an "Edith Bunker impression"!). If that 1-2 punch doesn't have you sold on Control Freaks, then I'm going to surmise that the rest of the record will not sway you to the dark side. The rest of us, however, will bask in vintage Lowery bangers such as "Hollywood" (a song so dumb that you might not realize how smart it is) and "Crime Wave". Being such a sucker for good old '77 punk, I'm also quite partial to "Blowtorch Love" (which brings to mind the almighty Infections) and the band's terrific take on Jack & The Rippers' "No Desire". And if I say that "Sweet Dreams" sounds like it could have been a Shanghais song, that should only be construed as high praise!

If you have loved just about every piece of music that Greg Lowery has ever attached his name to, Mindless Entertainment will not disappoint. This is my favorite record he's played on in two decades (and I did really like Zodiac Killers). The fact that he shares the spotlight with one of the top punk vocalists of the present day really adds freshness and relevance to what Control Freaks are doing. And with so many newer "garage" bands lacking the rawness and fun attitude that ought to be considered essential to this genre, Mindless Entertainment most definitely fills a void. Sing it with me: C.O.N.T.R.O.L!



-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/control-freaks-mindless-entertainment-lp
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/
http://slovenly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/slovenlyrec/