Reviews January 2007

ALARM CLOCKS Marie b/w Gloria 7”

The band behind the Back From the Grave classics ”No Reason To Complain” and ”Yeah” (both available on BFTG #1) is literally back from the grave – a reunion liveshow led to recordings and a full LP is in the barrel. This fortyfive provides a new original song and a cover of Them’s “Gloria”. They still sound pretty cool, except for the production whichs is a bit too clean, this sounds like it could actually have been the bands second single back in ’66 or maybe ’67. “Marie” is a cool song but it can’t measure up against their old ones. Maybe it’s unfair to compare them but they’ll have to live with that.. And it’s not like I hate this new stuff, it’s really cool and it measures up to all and any of the retrobands around today! (Thomas) Norton Records

BELLY BUTTONIntroducing 7”

Japanese girls doing a kind of 5678’s-y punkrock. Pretty nice. Don’t like the sound 100 percent but it’s pretty cool at times. I does sound a little 90’s maybe..or is that just the feeling I get from a japanese garageband in this new century? I don’t know I do know that the 90’s was the japanese’ garagebands heyday and there hasn’t been a lot of great bands coming outta there in a long time. That I know of at least. Anyway, back to Belly Button. They’re pretty good but It’s not blowing the roof off my house. (Thomas) Ken Rock

DEMON’S CLAWS Satan’s Little Pet Pig LP/CD

Demon’s Claws first records was a cool little piece of fuzzy trashy garagepunk. I really liked it. Live they were great too. But “Satan’s Little Pet Pig” really takes me by storm. Great production - crispy and loud, and the songs.. Wow! I’ve got so many favorites it’s impossible to name them. They’ve mixed in some country and taken out some of the fuzz and the result is stunning. Don’t miss out on this! (Thomas) In The Red Records

MAKEOUTSWorst Band Ever 7”

Debut from fairly new Stockholm band. They’ve been wearing their influences on their sleeves since day one but here’s they really nailed their sound and lately they’ve been really great live, like a totally new and confident band. Nice. Anyway, they kinda sound like the Spaceshits, Supercharger, Locomotions but they do it really cool, they’re no copycats. Check them out! (Thomas) Bachelor Records

PIRATE LOVELaughing Gas 7”

Norwegian ‘rock’, bands like Gluecifer, Euroboys, Turbonegro comes to mind.. not a lot of great garagerock or punkrock outta Norway the last ten years actually. Pirate Love sounds like they want to make it big and they’ve got the production to back it up. They sound dark and brooding and it sounds like they want to sound “detroit-y” like MC5 and the Stooges maybe..but it’s never that good. Okay band, and I bet this might find an audience…but not in me. (Thomas) Oslo Grammofon

RAT TRAPSComplication 7”

Last record from this pretty great band. They never got to be big favorites here at Savage HQ but they were a good compliment to bands like Reatards, LiveFastDie, Feelers etc. “Complication” is a superfast almost grinding tune and I quickly want it to be over (am I getting old?) the other two are great though and more in the vein of the earlier Rat Traps. Very Reatards sounding and I mean that in a good way. (Thomas) Ken Rock

SONICS Busy Body 7”

From a newly discovered live recording of the rawest band around in the 6t’s. This single is the first taste and there’s an full LP on the way. This shit was recorded in 1964! And aaagh!!!, it sounds amazing! If only one of all the 60’s inspired bands would got for this kinda sonic attack I would be down on my knees kissing their feet! This is rawness supreme, it would kill any audience. The recording is dirty and lofi and sounds eggzactly as you’d want the Sonics to sound live. (Thomas) Norton Records

V/A - THE PHENOMS / ROCK N ROLL DESTRUCTION MACHINE

The Phenoms from Chicago are pretty noisy but also fairly cool sounding. Like early Blowtops maybe but more standard punkrock noised up for good measure. Fairly average but in the end it’s pretty okay. Rock n Roll Destruction Machine is pretty heavy and funny. More like a metal band recorded like a lofi punk band. Not my thing but it’s pretty catchy and funny to listen to. (Thomas) Beercan Records