Thursday, June 15, 2006

Any of you folks fancy being involved with a Nikki Sudden tribute album.
(Thanks to Trevor for the heads-up).
Brother Patrick has taken time out of his hectic schedule to hep you to a couple of shows coming up in the UK. I can’t find the venues or confirm the dates on any listings but anyway… listen to the man. (Have a blast Stateside chief!)

"If the Flamin' Groovies are he most underrated rock'n'roll group ever, then Viva L’American Death Ray Music, of Memphis fame, are challengers for the second place.

All four of their albums are killers (no filler) and each is different Welcome... is a mix of the Velvets, the Modern Lovers debut and Roxy Music (get the picture?). The latest, "In The Meantime" is the kind of record that can change your life, really. The song "Same Suit, Different Tie" is my favourite track of the year so far.

The side projects of this trio are worth seeking out too : Nick Diablo, singer/guitar, former 68 Comeback, is also a member of The Limes (with Jack Oblivian). Bass player - Harlan T. Bobo’s solo album, "Too Much Love" features members of the Reigning Sound - and the album equals the quality of Greg Oblivian group. The drummer is also a member of Polyphonic Spree.

American Death Ray played in Paris yesterday (June 14), they're gonna hit the Pit's tonight and you can catch them in London June 21 and Glasgow June 22. So don't miss the NEXT BIG THING (well if there was any justice in this world)." - PB
You know all these soothsayers banging on about "the great satan" and all that? I think the reportage was misheard and what they were actually foretelling was the great "Sator". As rock-tastic returns to form go this one flies out of the starting blocks and hardly takes a breather. They even make a brief stop at Pig Valley Beach along the way. "Basement Noise" is exactly what you get. The perfect blend of Redd Kross-type pop crunch with all that Ramonic buzzsaw riffola we've come to expect across the years. All topped off with a sprinkling of teenage heavy metal thunder that'd put the collywobbles up combos many years their junior. The strength of this album lies in the fact that they made it for themselves first and foremost. The fact that it turned out to be a pedigree champion is the proverbial icing. Sator pack a sizeable wallop and remind me of a hopped up Teenage Fanclub. Acres of fine tunes, coming at you one after another. What Chips Kiesbye doesn't know about primo punk rock isn't worth knowing and if you ever get a chance to see them hammer it out in person then you should take it. Imagine if (The) Status Quo was born of CBGB's then they might well have come up with "The Ghost Of My Control". "Goodbye Joey" is the latest in a line of fine songs that namecheck the great man. Thirteen cuts of bespoke rock action, straight outta Stockholm. Where else?