The fabulous Jenny Dee!

I've always believed that when it comes to incredibly talented people in music, they can truly excel in almost any genre you can name. Such is the case with Jenny "Dee" D'Angora - long a fixture of the Boston garage/rock n' roll scene as a singer/guitarist in The Downbeat 5 and The Dents. A few years back, she started Jenny Dee & The Delinquents to indulge her love for the girl groups of the '60s - issuing one of the great neo R & B albums of recent memory in 2010's Keeping Time. Last year's collaboration with Several Men of Mystery proved her equally adept in the realm of traditional country music. Just when you think you've got Jenny Dee figured out, she will surprise you in an entirely pleasant way. That's exactly what's been happening with her last couple of singles with The Delinquents. 

On last year's "Get Away", the band's musical time machine traveled from 1963 all the way to the dawn of the '80s - an era that is near and dear to me because it's when I discovered popular music. It's one thing to go for a "late 70's Blondie meets the Xanadu Soundtrack" vibe. It's another thing to totally nail it. D'Angora and co. delivered a solid hit with "Get Away". But on their new single "Don't Tell Me", they've crushed one out of the park! I close my eyes, and it is 1980 again. Everything about this track is class: the production, the musicianship, and of course the lead vocal. The band is crazy good, led by D'Angora's husband Ed Valauskas (The Gravel Pit, The Gentleman). Valauskas, who has played with everyone from Graham Parker to Peter Gammons and produced Boston greats such as Andrea Gillis and Muck and the Mires, knows a thing or two about how to make a good record. So the attention to detail in the playing and production is no surprise whatsoever. The blending of keyboards and strings is flawlessly executed, and those harmonies are completely insane. If Jeff Lynne had produced a Blondie record in 1979, it would have sounded a lot like this. Yet D'Angora is clearly the star here, and all that lush instrumentation merely supports her formidable vocal prowess rather than overshadow it. The B-side is a cover of The Sweet's "Fox On The Run"- completely transformed into a vintage '79 synth pop style, yet very much in the spirit of the original. If you enjoyed the band's bubbly interpretation of the Undertones' "Teenage Kicks" on the B-side of "Get Away", you'll love this new wavey take on a glam rock classic. 

"Don't Tell Me" is just the first in a series of digital singles due from Jenny Dee & The Delinquents in 2014. I don't know exactly what to expect from the next one - but I can just about guarantee that it will be great. Plain and simple, Jenny Dee is one of the best singers out there. 

 
-L.R.

http://jennydee.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/jennydeemusic 

Giuda does it again!

What do you do for an encore when you've already made one of the greatest glam/pub rock albums of all-time? If you're Giuda, you simply go bigger. As the title suggests, new album Let's Do It Again does not mess much with a winning formula. These handsome and charming Italians continue to replicate that classic early '70s glam pop sound fortified with the proto Oi! wallop of early Cock Sparrer. But this time around, they've gone for a beefier sound with even better production and slightly more ambitious songwriting. If they had just done a straight copy of their extraordinary debut Racey Roller, it surely would have fallen short. But by upping the '70s arena rock quotient (think Thin Lizzy and Bon Scott era AC/DC), Giuda have managed to deliver a slightly different but equally great sophomore LP. Just issued in the United States by TKO Records, Let's Do It Again recalls a time when fun rock n' roll was king and massive hooks permeated the airwaves (and roller rinks!).

Sure, they have the good sense to mimic a beloved era of popular music. But what really separates Giuda from the rest of the glam/punk pack is their talent for writing incredible songs and their ability to imbue these classic sounds with their own signature style. Even with blatant nods to the likes of T. Rex ("Yellow Dash"), The Sweet ("Teenage Rebel"), and Gary Glitter ("Roller Skates Rule O.K".), Giuda's own personality shines through even more so on this album. These fellas have come to party - and you're totally invited! And in keeping with this band's m.o., every song is a hit! Let's Do It Again offers an awesome mix of throwback glam gems, meaty riff rockers, and chant-worthy football anthems. And the songs that show a progression in Giuda's repertoire are some of the best on the album. Tracks like "Get That Goal" and the leadoff smash "Wild Tiger Woman" suggest a less over-the-top Turbonegro, while "Rave On" echoes with the pub-punk inflections of bands like The Vibrators. Top to bottom, the hooks on this thing are gigantic!

Giuda, at this point, just might be the best band in the world. And that's no joke! I could tell, based on title alone, that closing track "Hey Hey" was going to be an anthem. And that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Giuda. If their songs were any catchier, we'd have a worldwide health epidemic on our hands. Remember when all the great bands were about writing killer songs, rocking hard, and making sure everyone had a good time? Sadly, such values have generally disappeared from rock music over the past 20 years. Giuda may single-handedly revive them. I just can't relate to all the "edgy" gloom and heavy seriousness that the kids are digging these days. But "Wild Tiger Woman"? Now that speaks to me! Long may these mighty Romans reign!



-L.R.

http://giuda.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Giuda/162619653788119
http://www.tkorecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/tkorecords

That's right - a new Shattered Faith 7"!

Here's one you won't want to miss. You've got Hostage Records - hands down the greatest California punk record label of the last 20 years. And you've got Shattered Faith - one of a handful of bands that truly defined the Orange County punk rock sound. Out now on Hostage is just the band's second 7" ever (hard to believe, eh?). It includes "Power To The Kids" - the first new recorded song from Shattered Faith since 1985! That's right: the last time these guys put out a new song, Ronnie Reagan was still president. Some of you weren't even born yet! If you're expecting this release to pale in comparison to the band's prior recordings, clearly you don't know a whole lot about Shattered Faith or Hostage Records. As anyone who's seen the band recently will gladly attest, Shattered Faith is still on top of its game and representing proudly for O.C. punk. It's not often that bands go 33 years in between singles without missing a beat. But this record is classic Shattered Faith all the way. In addition to the aforementioned ripper, you get the "lost" 1981 track "Suburban Boredom" and the previous live-only number "Mirrors Reflection". That signature style is still in tact - driving melodic punk with killer lead guitar work and lyrics that really have some something to say. "Power To The Kids" looks to the youth of today to fix this mess we've made of the world. "Suburban Boredom" is short and scathing and as relevant now as it was three decades ago. "Mirrors Reflection" is upbeat and tuneful and a nice switch-up from the band's more worldly statements. If you read the liner notes, it's obvious how humbled these guys are by all the love they still get from fans after all these years. They are grateful that they are remembered and hopeful that future generations will know of the music they're making now. Shattered Faith waited a long time to get a new 7" out, and clearly they've made the most out of the opportunity. This record, like the band that made it, is pure class. Great songs, great sound quality (it was pressed at the legendary Rainbo Records!). It's limited to 700 hand numbered copies. Get one before this release goes out of print in two blinks of an eye!

-L.R.

www.hostagerecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/ShatteredFaithBand
http://shatteredfaith.bandcamp.com/

Meet Average Times!

Canada is gold again! Are you getting sick of this yet, because I sure ain't! And the thing is, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what's going on with the Canadian garage punk scene right now - especially in Ottawa! There is no rational explanation for the large amounts of amazing music coming out of Canada these days. It's like trying figure out how my Canadian bacon could come from Illinois or why Labatt Blue is actually pale. And why aren't the Toronto Maple Leafs called the Maple Leaves? It fatigues the brain to ponder such mysteries of the north. So I'm just going to sit back, pop open an adult beverage or two, and continue to enjoy the hell out of what I'm hearing. The latest Ottawa band to set my hair on fire (if I had any) is Average Times. Toronto's Hosehead Records will be issuing the band's self-titled debut LP next week (a co-release with P. Trash Records out of Germany). And let's just say that there's nothing average whatsoever about Average Times! With Paul "Yogi" Grainger (White Wires, Steve Adamyk Band, Mother's Children) recording the album, you should have some idea of what to expect.

Like all the aforementioned bands, Average Times mix up a tasty cocktail of buzzing garage punk and tuneful power pop. What sets this band apart, I'd say, is a little more grit and a lot more snarl. Or, as the band poetically states it, it's like "barf and sugar mixed together". The abundance of hooks and crisp production are definitely in keeping with the whole "Ottawa thing" that's happening right now. But I also hear influences ranging from classic late '90s garage/trash to early American punk by the way of The Stooges/New York Dolls. Imagine The Reatards fronted by Stiv Bators, playing songs written by the Marked Men at a Mean Jeans house party. Average Times have by no means reinvented the wheel, but they've delivered exactly the kind of record that made me fall in love with punk music in the first place. This is a fun album full of snotty, catchy tunes that will have your head bobbing as soon as the needle drops on the vinyl. And time and time again, I'm compelled to pump my fist in the air and sing along loudly. Only six of 13 tracks surpass two minutes, and none surpass three. But don't be fooled by the minimalist, let-it-rip approach. The songwriting here is very accomplished - as is the lead guitar work.

"Popsicle", which opens the album, sounds like a song that might kick off an Average Times live show. It's instant energy and a real tone-setter. And there's no letup from there. "Leave Me Alone" sounds like the Dead Boys covering The Undertones. "Snakes" is fast and fiery and guaranteed to get stuck in your head. "Summer Nights" sprinkles in some keyboards and is every bit the soaring anthem the title promises. And by mixing all-out burners like "Wasted On Wine" and "Look Loose" in with the hookier rock n' roll based tracks, the band avoids the sort of repetitive rut that sometimes plagues garage punk releases. Out of 13 songs overall, not a single one is a dud. This is my favorite album of the year so far. It has the feel of a summer record - which really hits the spot since we've all been freezing our nut sacs off for months. If you like all the newer garage stuff but wish it sounded more like '70s punk, have yourself a listen. Downloads are available now, and the LP goes on sale March 4th!

-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/averagetimes
http://www.hoseheadrecords.ca/
http://hoseheadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/average-times

Thee Mighty Fevers V. The Morebeats!

A little less than a year ago, I posted for the first time on Thee Mighty Fevers - the latest in a long line of incredible garage punk bands from Japan. Well, the boys from Kobe are back! And they have found kindred spirits in Italy's Morbeats. The two bands have teamed up for a split 7" out on the Italian label One Chord Wonder, and of course it will blow your head off! If you find yourself longing for the mid-'90s glory days of raw and wild garage punk, Weird Affairs And Teengeneration Accidents ought to have you jumping for joy and howling in delight. Both bands tear into some fast and frenzied lo-fi rock n' roll that literally explodes from your speakers and headphones. Thee Mighty Fevers build on the momentum of their fantastic debut album with the fuzzed-out and ferocious "Emotion Fire". It sounds like they're trying to obliterate any obstacle in sight just through the sheer force of their music! I always love a band that sounds like it might have collapsed from exhuastion if the song had run one second longer. Marty can scream with the best of 'em, and Tommy's guitar soloing is glorious, earsplitting filth. The band also whips through a blistering rendition of "That's Alright Mama" - Elvis Presley's first single! This was arguably the first rock n' roll single ever, and 60 years later we still have bands like Thee Mighty Fevers keeping that original spirit alive while taking it to extremes that would have been unfathomable in 1954. Not since the Registrators circa Terminal Boredom have we heard a band quite like this. If you have yet to experience the sonic firestorm that is Thee Mighty Fevers, go stream their album and crank the volume until the windows shake! If you are unmoved by such savage racket, surely your soul has died.

Turning to The Morbeats' side of the record, there's not much of a drop-off. They power through an original number called "Little Robota", which rips a la Teengenerate or a super lo-fi Devil Dogs. I love the rawness and pure rock n' roll energy. The drummer sounds like he's banging on trash cans! If songs about girls are cool and songs about robots are cooler, then songs about girl robots are the coolest. "Sex Cow" is a cover of one of Teengenerate's best singles, and it ain't bad! I definitely wanna hear more from these guys.

A time machine trip back to the heyday of Rip Off and Crypt Records would cost you a fortune. Weird Affairs And Teengeneration Accidents is just as fun - and will get you there at a fraction of the price! Dig in!


-L.R.

http://theemightyfevers.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theemightyfevers
http://morbeats.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Morbeats

Big Itch Club!

The Big Itch Club is a dive bar music club in Thomas House in Dublin where one can go to hear real rock n' roll (both live and on record). There just aren't enough places like this left in the world, and the ones that remain should be treasured (and supported!). Last year, Luke from The Big Itch Club got together with Bachelor Records head honcho The Gimp, and they came up with a really awesome idea. Why not make a 7" compilation record showcasing some of the great bands that play at this club? And so that's exactly what they did! 500 copies were pressed. Half were given to the bands to sell at a showcase gig at the Big Itch Club last November. The other half went to Bachelor to sell to the general public. I'm not sure how many copies remain, so I'd urge you all to move extremely fast on this one since it's got two tracks from The #1s - one of the finest power pop bands to come on the scene in years. And they're not crappy leftovers or anything like that - they're both A-side worthy gems! "16" is upbeat pop/punk in the classic vein of Protex and Rudi. If you told me it was actually recorded in 1979, I would have no reason to doubt you. "Tell Me Why" slows things down and highlights gorgeous plaintive melodies a la Big Star or Teenage Fanclub. These tunes keep The #1s' winning streak in tact, and it is my fervent wish that 2014 will bring us an LP from this fantastic band.

But wait! There's more! The B-side of this compilation introduces me (and perhaps you!) to two newer standouts of the Dublin music underground. September Girls are an all-female five piece who specialize in garage pop laden with harmonies and reverb. Their cover of Electric Six's "Gay Bar" impresses with a cool surfy guitar riff and nicely executed group vocals. I dig! Faux Kings are a wrestling themed rock n' roll band - and I believe this is their first collaboration with a record label. Their track, "Luchadora", is very much up my alley. Think Eddie Cochran/Gene Vincent meets early Beach Boys with trashy lo-fi production. That guitar solo rips!

All in all, Big Itch Club is a terrific little compilation. I knew I was going to love the A-side, but credit Luke and The Gimp for making sure that the back half of the record could hold its own. To hear more from September Girls and Faux Kings, check out the Bandcamp links below. Now go buy this record - while you still can!



-L.R.

http://www.bachelorrecords.com/
https://soundcloud.com/#thenumberones
http://fauxkings.bandcamp.com/
http://septembergirls.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Itch-Club/213718572088468

Retro Reviews: Teenage Head (self titled)

A number of years ago, Shawn Abnoxious asked me why I had never written about Teenage Head. It was a very good question. And I don't really have a good answer. Maybe it was one of those things I've just never gotten around to doing - like reading Crime And Punishment or trying a Krispy Kreme doughnut. It does seem odd that over a two decade "career" spent celebrating the pop/rock n' roll side of '77 punk, I've never done an article on the great Teenage Head. Well, I had never done an article on Teenage Head - until today!

When we talk about the great "scenes" of early punk rock, London, L.A., and New York usually get brought up first. If the Canadian punk scene circa the late '70s and early '80s isn't mentioned in the same breath, it probably should be. Canada had so many great bands - Viletones, D.O.A., Forgotten Rebels, Pointed Sticks, Subhumans, Diodes, Modernettes, Demics...I could go on and on. My personal favorite of the lot has to be Hamilton, Ontario's mighty Teenage Head - one of Canada's first and best punk bands. With a name and a sound inspired by the Flamin' Groovies, Teenage Head specialized in fun songs about girls, cars, boozing, and good times. Spiritually akin to The Dictators with the hooks of the Ramones and the swagger of the New York Dolls, this was a band that typified first wave punk while also drawing largely from early rock n' rollers such as Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry. With its raw production and simplistic musical approach, the band's 1979 debut LP remains the purest and finest representation of what Teenage Head was all about. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that it's full of classic songs!

In the tradition of Johansen/Thunders and Bators/Chrome, Teenage Head featured a star tandem on vocals and lead guitar - with front man Frankie "Venom" Kerr (R.I.P.) providing the personality/charisma and Gordie Lewis dishing out the hot guitar licks. And in Steve Mahon and Nick Stipanitz, the band had one of the greatest rhythm sections of the first wave punk era. Kicking off with two of the band's finest songs - "Top Down" and "Ain't Got No Sense" - Teenage Head could easily be forgiven if it failed to sustain a fast start. But it doesn't! It's a great album the whole way through - never relenting in its punked-up '50s rock n' roll attack with additional nods to the Stones and Stooges. Straight-ahead rockers like "Lucy Potato" and "Bonerack" sound great with the volume cranked to ten and a cold beer in your hand, while "Little Boxes" ought to be a staple on the Ramones' Pandora channel. Listening to a song like "You're Tearing Me Apart" and its gleeful blend of rockabilly, pop, and glam, I just can't deny Teenage Head's influence on a whole bunch of my favorite bands of the '90s and beyond.

Teenage Head were probably one of those bands that never fully captured the electrifying energy of their legendary live shows on record. But they came awfully close on this self-titled debut. It was considered a commercial flop upon its initial release, but time has proven it to be a stone cold classic. The 1996 CD reissue is long out of print but well worth tracking down if you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it (or just get it off iTunes for $10!). I also highly recommend the band's second LP, Frantic City. No doubt there were a ton of great bands in the early years of punk. But in my book, Teenage Head was one of the very best.

  

-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/teenagehead