Bad
Luck Charms
(Iscreamrecords.com)
The first song "Twilight in the Asylum,"
opens with an otherworldly, spoken word triad
that sounds like a combination of Monty Python's
"Bring Out Your Dead" skit, and
the Moody Blues' wacked-out, speed-induced
intro to "Ride My Seesaw." With
slow-burn, verbal venom lines like, "Everybody
does the Limbo in Limbo," and The jukebox
in Purgatory plays no hits," sound like
just the right mix ranging rabid and righteous.From
there, it's all punk and no junk! "Break
My Heart" follows, which is a scorching
rocker, with anthemic sing-along choruses.Chunky
guitar chords, and a rough 'n' randy attitude
sparks this album, fueling the live feel,
and primitive rock 'n' roll. Sure, they're
from the wrong side of the tracks, but you
know that you and your buddies sneak out on
the weekends to see them play at that shot-and-a-beer
bar. Bad Luck Charms' self-titled album is
a mix of brawn and brains, and they do both
with a smirk and a sly wink. No piss takes
or homages, when the band picks their own
psychic scabs on songs like "I Didn't
Mean to Kill You," "Poison,"
or "Tokyo," you know you're getting
real deal rock 'n' roll! - Phil Rainone
Intellectuals
- Invisible is the Best (Dead-Beat-Records.com)
The Intellectuals are the logical, but mad,
mad, mad, predecessor of all things psychedelic/surf/garage,
and punk rock. The musical heirs of Dick Dale,
Link Wray, The B-52's (the B-52's new abum,
"Fun Plex" is really good). The
trio, who only go by the names of Guitar Boy,
Drum Girl, and Key Tee (she plays a raunchy
farfisa organ, who's taut speed runs sets
the pace on "Invisible is the Best").
Fireworks galore abound in tunes like "R
'n' R Jedi," "Baby-O," and
the blazin' cover of The Velvets' "White
Light/White Heat." Focused, fun, and
twisted, The Intellectuals squeeze the music
into a vibrant framework of all the above
mentioned genre's, obliterating convention,
and replacing it with primal punk. Burn this
album onto a CD with Ministry's "Jesus
Built My Hot Rod," and The B-52's first
album, and drive 'til you die happy!The Intellectuals
simply personifies the most incendiary and
rebellious elements of rip-it-up rock 'n'
roll, period! - Phil Rainone
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