Small Faces - 'Small Faces' (1966) Album Review

The Small Faces, what a group. I dig pretty much everything these guys laid down between '65-'69, with this album (their debut LP release from '66) possibly being my favourite body of work of theirs from the 60's (yes, ahead of Ogden's and possibly ahead of their debut the year following on Andrew Loog Oldham's 'Immediate' label, although they are both fantastic). There's just something about this album that sizzles, with the band playing in perfect revved up harmony throughout (special note goes out to the chaotic drumming and slashing guitar work). For those of you new to the group, they consisted of Steve Marriott on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Ronnie Lane on Bass and Backing Vox, Ian McLagan on Keys and Kenny Jones on Drums. Together they produce one of the HEAVIEST sounds of the  mid 60's, setting the stage for groups like the MC5 and later Brit-Punk units like The Sex Pistols (who were reportedly massive fans). Lets get stuck in...

A cover of Sam Cooke's party rocker 'Shake' opens up Side One, an it is SURGING with energy, Marriot's guitar cranked to the max, Jones grooving out with funky fills, McLagan laying down  Booker T styled organ break and Lane taking lead Vocals for the first and only time on this LP. A brilliant album opener and a great interpretation of this classic tune. Next up is probably my fave raving track here, the group original 'Come On Children', a masterpiece of shamanistic soul grooving. This is as powerful as any Who track from the era (probably more of  'Maximum R&B' sound than they EVER achieved!), Marriot is just screaming here, chanting some improved lyrics that - bizarrely - quote 'You Are My Sunshine' (What?), the band backing him up superbly (THAT DRUM/BASS SOUND!). Truly awesome rock n' roll here, what ore could you want? Next up is the first of many tracks written by British Soul Singer Kenny Lynch, and its great big slab of power-pop, soul-ified goodness, hooks a plenty and  tough sound to back them up. Another group composed track next in 'Its Too Late', more heaviness, more hooks, more Small Faces from London's Swingin' Peak (snarlin' guitar solo here, so cool). 'One Night Stand' follows, written by Lane and Marriot, and carries on with much the same format as the last couple tracks, this time replete with mildly controversial lyrics (as is obvious from the title...). Capping off Side One is 'Watcha Gonna Do About It?', nicking the riff from 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love' but injecting a Townshend' style feedback/fuzz solo that catapults it into proto-punk gear (As a side note, I know I said last time that Marriot had a kinda forced blues voice, but it ROCKS here so maybe scratch that...)

More Lynch' written Power Pop next, the Faces sounding tight as ever (nice combo of electric piano and Hammond organ from McLagan here, and of course more funky rhythm section and heavy guitar). A shot to the future of psychedelia next with the Booker T/Mg's style instrumental 'Own Up Time', with Marriot's fuzzed out guitar tone (with MEGA feedback) and McLagan's distorted organ riffing sounding mid way between early Depp Purple and peak Hendrix Experience heaviness. Talking about the future, does the next track 'You Need Loving' sound like a particular Hard Rock group from the later half of the decade...? That's right, this it the track that Zeppelin based 'Whole Lotta Love' on, with Rob Plant being a huge Marriott/Small Faces addict (that ending breakdown with Stevie's solo bellowing is real close to 'Lotta Love's ending isn't it?) Similar feel to 'Come On Children' here, chaotic band sound with that same R&B rave up feel, dig those band cheers at the end egging on Marriott, a cool touch. The next track ('Don't Stop What You're Doing') unfortunately can't compete with the awesomeness found here, although it is pretty good for a group composed number. 'E Too D' notches back up to the energy of 'Loving', and is apparently the track that inspired 'I Can See For Miles' high energy, surging sound (Love that crash back in when Stevie shouts "I've been messing, messin up my mind!", mildly psych aswell, with Marriot talkin' bout "Hearin voices" and "seein colours"). And now we're back to the party, with 'Sha La La La Lee' (a Kenny Lynch number and the group's first big hit that reached number 3 in the UK) capping off this kick-ass collection. A real Mod classic, poppy backing vocals melding with the group's signature garage kickin' sound that certainly deserved its hit status. Although these guys would go onto bigger, more elaborate projects (culminating in the classic 'Ogdens' album in '68), their true sound can be found here in this excellent document of the London Club scene circa '65/'66, get this wherever you can and I'll see you next time when we'll be covering an important step into originality from those Surrey-born long hairs (fiver to whoever gets that one, honest...)

Them - 'Them Again' Album Review

Having listened to hundreds of white R&B singers from the British Invasion, I'm starting to think that Van Morrison cuts it as quite possibly the best of the lot. There's something otherworldly to his Howlin' Wolf inspired snarl that transports his performances beyond pastiche (i.e. Mick Jagger) or overcompensation (i.e. Steve Marriot) and into the upper echelon of blues greatness (P.S, I very much dig those guys as well, don't attack me just yet...) His work with Them in the 60's/his first solo album (the one that features 'Brown Eyed Girl' and the dreaded 'psychedelic jacket' Van so despised) rank among my favourite British garage/soul material, and this album (the second by Them, hence the 'Again' bit) is a great showcase for Van's protopunk credentials as well as his future folkier material first introduced on the epic 'Astral Weeks' in '68. Released in 1966, the group at the time was a mix of rotating members and I can't find any details of the exact personnel playing on the record (apparently Jimmy Page is on here, somewhere...) so I'll have to skip this section today. Moving along swiftly, Lets get into Side One...

'Could You Would You' opens up the album, a funky Morrison original with some killer high note wailing in the lead vocal and a chunky rhythm section supported by floating Farfisa organ in the background, very cool stuff with nice Stax Soul edge. A groovy cover of 'Something You Got' follows, easily matching Wilson Pickett's version from the same year (dare I say it, this sounds meatier, sorry Pickett...) 'Call My Name' is next, written by Producer Tommy Scott  who gets a few more credits on the LP. This one's a moody folk rocker with more stomping rhythm and Van's passionate vocals, but also a bit of Zombies-ish darkness creeping in. 'Turn On Your Lovelight' is some great R&B, raw and raucous, seething in bar band attitude and Ray Charles good-timey atmosphere (love that surfy drum breakdown midway thru). Back to the darkness next with a beautifully Jazzy 'Put A Spell On You', great vibes work and haunted Sax (played by Van I believe). Van's surely channelling Nina Simone on this one, with her excellent cover coming out the year before this album's release, dig that scat bit near the end! And now, a complete 180 to the fuzzed-out garage classic written by Tommy Scott, 'I Can Only Give You Everything', an absolute stomping blast that for me makes the album well worth owning on its own merits. This is pretty much the basis for the American Garage sound we've covered so far on this Blog, mega fuzz guitar riffing (by the way, that is the riff from Beck's 'Devil's Haircut', the cheeky bugger...), tinny farfisa, Dave Clark Five One Beat and a lead singer screaming his heart out, pure rock n' roll excellence. 'My Lonely Sad Eyes' is another Van original and is stepping closer to the sound he's best known for; folk/soul pop tunes coupled with wonderfully poetic lyrics. 'I Got A Woman' closes Side One with more of that Ry Charles rave-up quality, great piano work on this one (whoever it may be...) You may have noticed by this point that there's quite a few songs for one side of an album (eight on each here), and you'd be right, this is around 45 mins which for the time was an EPIC length (most LP's were only 30 mins until 67/68, just thought I'd let you know, maybe its only me that cares bout this kinda thing...).

A smashing take of  Mr Brown's 'Out of Sight' opens Side Two and its another funky number with more solid drum/basswork (yes I know we've heard this track before on the Raiders album a few weeks back, I'm afraid we're going to see a lot of  overlap in the covers department between the British and American groups of the time). A cover of Dylan's 'Its All Over Now Baby Blue' is next, and for those of you who are Chocolate Watchband fans, this is where they got their arrangement from (swapping the keyboard riff for a glorious 12 string of course...). This has a majestic quality to it I can't quite pin down, probably the mix of tones laid down here, from background farfisa, to upfront strummed acoustics, all enveloped by Van's soulful vocals that enhance the beauty of Dylan's original lyrics tenfold, a stone cold classic. 'Bad Or Good' (another Van original) is next, sorta gospel-ish with call and response vocals and backroom piano lines a plenty, Van preaching in full on Ray mode. Tommy Scott gets another tune next here with 'How Long Baby', quite an old school 50's style ballad that Van absolutely rips through, also featuring a great Steve Cropper influenced tremolo-guitar solo (is that Jimmy Page? We'll find him someday...) The early rock n' roll spirit carries on next with a cover of Fats Domino's 'Hello Josephine' that the band knocks out with a kicking mix of honky-tonk piano and trebly guitar. 'Don't You Know' is a surprising return to Jazz, featuring flute, shuffling drums and some tight piano playing (another Scott original too, he's a great writer, although I'm sure Van had more original tunes at the time, maybe he was holding off for his solo career...). Speaking of his solo stuff, 'Hey Girl' is a real set-up for the emotional ballad side of Van that would emerge two years later with 'Astral Weeks', even the instrumentation is the same! Beautiful flutes, distant piano, echoey drums and Van striding above it all, a true timeless masterpiece. 'Bring Em' On In' closes out the record with YET MORE of that great R&B party sound and what seems like some improved lyrics from Van. A pretty cool ending to a superb LP, check it all out below and I'll see you next time when I'll be checking out the debut of some well known petite-headed cockneys (might write it on a 'Lazy Sunday', who knows...)

The Who - 'My Generation' Album Review

This time around I'm covering another classic Brit Invasion LP, The Who's 1965 debut 'My Generation'. This album pretty much birthed the sound of early punk and garage rock, featuring some of the heaviest rock n' roll sounds recorded at the time and inspiring thousands of young groups for generations after its release. Of course, most of you will know the members of this outfit, but for those who don't they comprised of; Rhythm Guitarist and main songwriter Pete Townshend (who gets a total of 8 originals on this record), Lead Vocalist Roger Daltery, Bassist John Entwistle and Drummer extraordinaire Keith Moon. Before I start, I've got to talk about that fabulous cover art, the band's name printed in military stencil, each member glaring up menacingly in true street punk style next to what looks like some oil barrels. The whole image sets the tone for the ground-breaking work you're about to hear, so lets get to it...

Tremolo guitar scraping, wild drumming and a blend of R&B blues wailing with pop backing vocals, all of this awaits the listener on Side One's opener 'Out In The Street', a Townshend original and a fantastic album opener. Listen out for the kill-switch/feedback guitar EXPLOSION that takes the place of the usual blues solo, such inventive stuff that still rocks like hell 60 years on. Next up is a comparatively straight - but still heavy - take of James Brown's 'I Don't Mind' that nicely fits into the groups original mantra of 'Maximum R&B' (maybe this is where the American garage groups got their Brown obsession from, who knows?). The next number though is where we enter truly pioneering territory... 'The Good's Gone' kicks off with a jangly raga inspired riff (in 1965!), leading into a grungy tune of a relationship gone wrong ('We should enjoy it, but the goods gone'). Townshend slashes his Rickenbacker on this one, with Moon supplying suitably chaotic drums as Entwistle holds down the low end with heavy bass riffing... Such a cool track, and really one of the first psych style rock songs recorded (laid down in April '65). A return to power pop (a term coined by Townshend  couple years later) is next with another original number, 'La La La Lies'. Nice Motown/girl group sound here, Moon's jazzy rolls blending harmoniously with the multi-part group harmonies. 'Much Too Much' follows, sounding a decade ahead of most contemporary UK groups, surging along with a perfect balance between sweetness and punky agro (particularly present in Daltrey's snarling vocal and Moon's epic drum-work), a brilliant number that could easily have been a single. And finishing off the side is the classic track, 'My Generation'. Townshend's piss-off lyrics/crazy guitar, Entwistle's bass soloing, Moon's perfectly mad drums and Daltery's rockin' vocals add up to make this one of the greatest rock tunes of all time (must have sounded crazy to the kids of '65, not exactly Herman's Hermits is it...)

Side Two starts with another blazing classic with 'The Kids Are Alright'. More ringing guitars, more power from the rhythm section and more era-defining lyrics that you cant resist shouting along with (and again, a super heavy mid section that still blows up with the energy of a split atom), can rock get better than this? Probably not, demonstrated by the kinda weak cover of another Mr Dynamite number, 'Please Please Please', Roger desperately trying to inject passion, instead sounding a bit strangled with his high notes (nice kill-switch soling from Townshend though). A return to excellence is next though, with 'Its Not True', a funny little ditty about - to put it in academic terms - "the misconception of identity in the modern world" (or just someone saying "that's bollocks", whichever you prefer...). Great band interplay here with nice keys work from session man Nicky Hopkins. 'I'm A Man' follows this gem, and is again  a little weak, even bordering on parody as Daltery alternates between his best Howlin' Wolf impression and a more relaxed Brown-ish scream. Aside from that, this one rocks, Townshend using controlled feedback and power chords to push the band into rock n' roll nirvana in the mid section (I'm sure that Hendrix dug this one...). 'A Legal Matter' features Townshend's debut as lead singer, and he gives the tune a bit of country sleaze (fitting for the broken marriage subject matter) as the guys kick up dust in the background (smokin' keys from Hopkins here). Capping off the album is the explosive 'The Ox', the only group written number on this collection and what a number it is... Townshend's guitar screams with distortion, Moon lays down a 'Wipe Out' inspired bit of anarchy, Entwistle keeps it grounded and Daltrey... is nowhere to be heard (I'm guessing that's not him on keys in the background...) A raucous showcase of band's power, truly a sign of things to come in the rock world (much like the album in general really). For me, this is The Who at their best, pushing the fringes of popular music to its breaking point (whilst also playing some straight tunes to satisfy the average listener). Seek this out pronto anywhere, anyhow, anyway you can... See you next time when we'll be covering an LP by a lesser known Irish rocker and his group of young punks... (can you guess it yet?)

The Kinks - 'The Kink Kontroversey' Album Review

Of course, I couldn't call myself a garage fan without discussing the guys who kicked it all off, The Kinks. This group have influenced almost every rock n' roll artist in existence since the release of the epochal 'You Really Got Me' in 1964, a track that to this day sounds heavy, menacing and timeless and shall remain so for eternity. Founded in 1962, the group was comprised of chief Songwriter/Rhythm Player Ray Davies, his brother, Lead Guitarist Dave Davies (pretty much the inventor of the distorted guitar tone), Bassist Pete Quaife and Drummer Mick Avory. Toddy I'm having a look at their classic '65 LP 'The Kink Kontroversey', a record that finds the boys transitioning into their pop-art second phase with the beginnings of the Davies' brothers' signature character study-in musical form tracks alongside more R&B garage material (a mix that I certainly dig!). 

Side One starts with possibly the GREATEST Kinks garage rockin' track, 'Milkcow Blues', a tune that would later be lifted wholesale for the Chocolate Watchband's 'Dont Need Your Lovin' featured in the hippie exploitation flick, 'Riot On Sunset Strip'. This is one hell of a rave up, the guys surging through the old blues number with powerhouse guitar and screaming vocals from the brothers' Davies. An excellent opening track that precedes a beautiful follow up, 'Ring The Bells'. Here we can spot a slight Merseybeat influence mixing with folkish picked acoustics, Ray cooing away in his classic subdued manner. Next up is more high energy rock with 'Gotta Get The First Plane Home', great snarlin' riffs from Dave and groovy bossa nova drumming from Mick Avory, could have easily fitted onto the first couple of Stones' records. 'When I See That Girl' follows with a kinda Motown/Brit-Pop feel, a straightforward pop number with a tricky middle eighth that suggests a Beatles influence. 'I Am Free' is where things get interesting, Dave oozing Dylanish introspection (and vocal intonation), the group backing him up with echoey backing vox and - curtesy of session man extraordinaire Nicky Hopkins - deep bass piano. Finishing off Side One is the absolute knock out that is 'Til The End OF The Day', featuring more of that slashing guitar distortion and stop start riffing that made them famous, such a blast of a track.

Side Two kicks off with the mildly psych-ish 'The World Keeps Turning Round', Ray tacking the forefront with a 'Rain' like tale of an over worried acquaintance who can't stop to see what's in front of them. Not a complex story I know, but a progression from 'Girl, You really got Me going' no? 'I'm On An Island' has a disorientating calypso feel next, pre-empting the groups' later experiments into complex instrumentation and metaphorical storytelling. 'Where Have All The Good Times Gone' is, of course, another classic, Ray quoting The Stones and The Beatles whilst reminiscing bout... when exactly, a year before? Jeez, not like your careers over yet guys! More great electric/acoustic combo riffing on this one and I've always dug Dave's high pitched harmonies in the chorus. 'Its Too Late' is a little weak to be honest, nice chorus but a bit too straight for my tastes. As always, the production is great - Shel Talmy got one hell of a sound from The Kinks and SOOOO many other groups from the time - and there's another Nicky Hopkins appearance in the solo so not its without interest. 'What's In Store For Me' sounds like another step forward for the guys, with more Dave introspection and a music hall two-step stomp (a lot like 'Party Line' from their next record, 'Face To Face'), pretty tight little number. Capping off the LP is another cool garagey number, 'You Can't Win', Ray and Dave sharing the lead vocal and the band rockin' away behind them (and of course, more savage guitar attack from Dave). All in all, a nice album, full of classics and a tight mid-sixties groove, definitely worth checking out if you're a Kinks fan or dig 60s' rock in general. Tune in next time when I'll be checkin' out another album from '65 (yes, I'm working chronologically now If you're interested...), see you then!

The Sorrows - 'Take A Heart' Album Review

After a short break I've returned to the Garage for the second series of this blog, focusing this time on British groups and beyond (a bit like Nuggets 2 if you wanna know where I got the idea...) To kick off this new batch we have Coventry's own 'The Sorrows' and their 1965 LP 'Take A Heart' (named for their only UK charting single), probably one of the closest-to U.S Garage sounding collections from ANY mid sixties U.K group. As usual, I'll start with the personnel; Lead Guitarist Pip Witcher, Bassist Phillip Packham (born in Bidford-On-Avon a few miles from where I am writing AT THIS MOMENT), Scot Drummer Bruce Finley, Rhythm Guitarist Wez Price and Singer Don Maughan (really he of 'Indian Reservation' fame Don Fardon). These guys really go to town on this album, mixing the proto-punk riffing of The Kinks, the agro-power of The Pretty Things and the tightly-chaotic sound of The Who within a 30 minute slice of Brit Invasion gold. 

Jumping onto Side One with 'Baby', the guys start and stop with a sharp combo riff, exploding into an energetic double time solo near the end, Maughan cooly hollering away between verses. This is one PUNKY number an awesome opening track. And next... wow, what a track this is. 'No No No No' is pure garage, rocking away with slicing Who power chords, wailing vocals and a souped-up rhythm section (as a side note, dig that 'Donald Duck' cameo in the solo, freaky man...) 'Take A Heart' comes next, the band's only big hit (in this country at least, more on that alter). This track was featured on Nuggets' second instalment and its easy to see why; this song is a dark, proto-psych stomping masterpiece, sounding more like Krautrock than Merseybeat. A pounding bass line paired with beefy tom tom riffs elevate this one to the top tier of 60's rock, sheer brilliance that rivals many of the great hard-rockin' singles of the time. 'She's Got The Action' rocks in with more jagged rhythms and mega-reverb guitar, unhinged and heavy in the best possible way. Nice change of pace now with 'How Love Used To Be', a 'Ballad' if its possible to name it as such, what with all the crunching guitars and moody playing/singing, pretty similar to the 'Pretty Things' sound on their second LP 'Get The Picture'. Capping off Side One is the groups' kick-ass take on Jerry Lee's 'Teenage Letter', heavy rock n' roll with an amphetamine ferocity, so cool. Crank this one to the MAX, its a blast.

Side Two opens with the Kinksy 'Don't Wanna Be Free', a garage punkfest of high octane R&B. Very few U.K groups sounded like this to my ears, combining the most mod-ish sounds of the day in a blast of energetic sound (much like the U.S groups already covered on this blog). 'Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me' is next with a groovy Dylan-inspired folk-rock sound (a bit like early Love), harmonicas and jangly 12 string filling the tune out. Again, this could easily feature on a Shadows of Knight or Standells album from the same period, sounding far more Californian Cool than Anglo Beat. 'Car-Lin' is positively SEETHING with proto-punk energy, closest in sound to the hardest stuff from the Small Faces debut LP (with a bit of Who styled drumming thrown in for good measure), I can easily imagine The Stooges or MC5 covering this boss tune. The guys try their hand at the weirdo-ballad again with 'We Should Get Along Fine', a kind of twisted early Beatles number with atonal key changes and a strained Maughn vocal mashing up against a pretty baroque style middle eighth and boy-band harmonies. 'Come With Me' jaunts along in a quick waltz time groove, assisted by maraca shacking and tight guitar/bass interplay. Ending this barnstorming LP is 'Let Me In', a mod-rocker that blows away most U.K groups of the time in terms of sheer rawness, the guitars pumped up into the red and the band playing at their tightest, amazing stuff. This is one hell of an LP and - as an vid fan of this era - I can safely say this is some of the best garage R&B from ANY sixties group (to be fair, it helps that they're from me family's home city but regardless... they rock). Keep it peeled for more reviews soon and give this cracker a listen in the meantime, adios.

Paul Revere and The Raiders - 'Just Like Us!' Album Review

I LOVE The Raiders; I dig their hard rockin' garage sound, their self composed psych masterpiece tunes and their string of great albums from this one to Spirit of '67 (y'know, the one with 'Good Thing'/'Hungry' that Margot Robbie plays in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood?). What I DON'T love about the Raiders is the corny image they have been saddled with - partly of their own accord - mostly due to the wearing of American revolutionary garb and also their numerous appearances on TV at the time (including a spot on a Batman episode of all things). Formed in 1960, the group (at the time of this album) consisted of pretty-boy lead singer Mark Lindsay, lead guitarist Drake Levin, bassist Phil Volk, drummer Mike Smith and of course, keyboard player Paul Revere. This is a group who deserved to be remembered as the kick-ass rock unit they were (tacky image and all) and this album - released in '66 - is a great representation of their many talents. 

We BLAST onto Side One with 'Steppin Out', an epochal garage classic that stomps and shouts through 2:13 of rock n' roll bliss. Dig that fuzz bass, Dave Clark Five beat and a snarlin' guitar tone from Levin (oh, and obviously Lindsay's bluesy vocal), a group original too. Next up is a funky cover of Marvin Gaye's 'I'll be Doggone' by way of The Searchers '65 version (replete with chiming 12 string and Merseybeat backing vox). These boys have already with these first couple of tracks set up the classic garage rock sound in its two variations; hard and bluesy a la The Stones in '65, and hard and jangly a la The Byrds of the same vintage. Moving on, the guys try out James Brown's 'Out of Sight' in a surprisingly convincing hard R&B style (noticing how many garage bands loved Mr Dynamite's material yet?). Singing this tune is Drake Levin and -for a little bit of trivia - this is one of the few Raiders albums where the band shares vocal duties (later on Lindsay would take over most lead parts). A solid cover of 'Baby Please Don't Go' follows, sped up a little from Them's hit version and with a vocal from Phil Volk. Revere's keys are pushed to the forefront on this one (like with Them) and I cannot stress enough my love for the Vox Continental keyboard, to me it IS the 60's pop sound (see 'I'm A Believer', 'Light My Fire', 'House of The Rising Son' etc.). Probably the only bum track on the LP is next in 'I Know', a joke blues number with drummer 'Smitty' wailing higher and higher with the group egging him on and cracking up as he loses his voice. Nice party atmosphere but a little cheesy (reminds me of The Monkees 'Gonna Buy Me A Dog'). Closing Side One is an old school frat-rock cover of Mr Brown's 'Night Train', harkening back to the group's early days playing for drunk college kids in their home state of Idaho (I miss James' cries of "All Aboard!" though... will have to review his awesome 'Live At The Apollo one day). 

Side Two continues in much the same format, with punky garage, 60's R&B and folk-rock tunes colliding together in one package (making this a nicely representative collection of the rock n' roll sounds of the day pre psychedelia). Starting us off is the kinks styled 'Just Like Me', the other big hit from the LP along with 'Steppin Out'. The tune twists and turns through a Louie Louie riff into a mega chorus, Lindsay screaming his heart out before one of THE FIRST double tracked guitar solos from Levin. Yet again, its a classic garage tune, laying out the formula for hundreds of groups around the country. A gorgeous Byrds-alike cover of  Donovan's 'Catch The Wind' is next, with producer Terry Melcher replicating the compressed 12 string chime and stoned vocals of the other super-famous 60's rock group he worked with the year previous... THE BYRDS. I really dig Levin's vocal on this one, especially the super reverb fade out that Melcher applies at the end. Next is yet another solid cover of a Brit Invasion group with 'Satisfaction'. This one has grown on me, especially after buying a mono version a while back, the harmony organ adds a lot and stops it from being an exact copy of the original (again, this is the kind of stuff that many U.S garage groups covered live, so its not unappreciated). YET MORE Brit Invasion noise with The Animals' 'I'm Crying', a great little organ-based blaster that Volk injects Burdon-infused punk energy into as the guys jam away in the background, doubling down on the originals' ferocity (dig those well timed backing vox as well!). A groovy take of 'New Orleans' is next, with Revere stepping out from the keys to lay down a lead vocal, nice sax work from Lindsay on this one as well as a surfy beat from Smitty. 'Action' closes the album on a super upbeat, beach boys inflected note (this was also the theme tune to the show in which the guys were the house band at the time, 'Where the Action Is' hosted by Dick Clark). This is such a fun LP that any fans of British Invasion stuff should check out. Its also a nice intro to garage music without throwing you in at the deep end of psych freak outs like The Seeds so give it a listen, you'll be groovin' like its '66 in no time!

? and The Mysterians - '96 Tears' Album Review

For those of you that have read this blog up until this point, you will be relieved to find out that this time around we are FINALLY covering a group NOT FEATURED ON NUGGETS (although they were originally slated for a follow up volume)!!! This is ? (yes you are reading that correctly, its pronounced "Question Mark") and The Mysterians, a pop-ish latino garage group from Michigan who scored a number one hit in the U.S with the title track of this -their debut LP - '96 Tears' in 1966. The players were as follows; lead singer 'Question Mark' (AKA Rudy Martinez), guitarist Bobby Balderrama, bassist Frank Lugo, drummer Eddie Serrato and last but not least organist Frank Rodriguez. These guys possibly sound the most like a band just out of rehearsing in a garage out of all the units I've covered so far on this here site, slightly ramshackle (occasionally slipping out of time) with super tinny organ and guitar lines, playing mostly self-composed angsty pop tunes and to top it all off a vocalist who is trying his darndest to out Jagger Jagger (occasionally succeeding, usually sounding like a poor mans version). The grooviest thing about the group is despite (and possibly in part due to) their flaws, they knock out a unique brand of garage-pop that has not been truly replicated since. Lets check them out shall we?

Side One starts with 'I Need Somebody', a lovely bit of R&B with the Rodriguez's trademark Vox Organ sound riffing all over the place (more on that to come...). He even breaks into a line of 'Mary Had AA Little Lamb' in place of a middle eigth.... Why you my ask? Why not I say, it only adds to the quirkiness of the group's sound. A pretty straight 'Stormy Monday' follows, ?'s heavily reverbed vocals fitting the tunes longing tone. Not much to write home about, but soulful enough (its also the only cover on the album, impressive amounts of original song writing here for the time, even if most of its kinda derivative). A 'She's A Woman' styled bouncy rocker is next with 'You're Telling Me Lies'. Simple lyrics, simple arrangement, and yet it seems a bit eerie, is it the distant muted organ? Not sure, but I dig it all the same. 'Ten O'Clock' lurches forwards as the most garagey tune we've heard so far, sort of a Kinks styled riff that builds and builds through repetition and a surfey groove (again, plenty of reverb and treble on EVERYTHING, my kind of sound). 'Set Aside' features some tasty blues playing from Rodriguez, and.... not much else in terms of variety, rolls along nicely enough though and is a group original so has to be given some cred. The side closes with 'Up Side', another groovy little number with plenty o' organ and a tight rhythm section, cool vocal from ? too, probably one of my favourites from the LP (must've been a great dance number live, especially with that double time bit at the end).

Side Two starts with '8 Teen', nice stomping number in the mid 60's animals vein (maybe the hardest rocking on here), a garage rock classic and a great representation of the group's talents. 'Don't Tease Me' slinks in, more more more reverb; its piling up now in a most pleasing way, making the group blend together into a machine like crunch of  sound. 'Don't Break This Heart of Mine' is a nice punky tune, more teen protesting against an unfair lover, fast too (you can see where Los Ramones got their shtick from...) 'Why Me?' is wimpo pop, but a bit motown-ish so I'll forgive it (stuff like this gave the group a bubble-gum reputation, they're better than crap like that believe me...) And a great example of why they're NOT bubble-gum comes next with 'Midnight Hour' (no, not that one, its an original!), NASTY sounding, the whole group surging along in true set closer form (seems like the drums are pushed up in the mix on this one, adds to the bar band chaos they're puttin' down). Dig the reedy organ (fuzzed out slightly), the biting guitar, pulsing bass, kick ass drums, all with ? floating around in his best seedy Jagger-ish manner. And finally, we have the group's worldwide hit, '96 Tears', possibly the most famous garage rock tune for the average 60's fan. Rodriguez lays down a piercing staccato riff, the group grooving and grooving at mid tempo. ? comes in and spouts his lyrics of love and loss ("too many teardrops, for one heart to be crying") before going into full on REVENGE MODE! ("I'm gonna put you/way down there/let me hear you cry now/96 tears") Epic stuff, and what a way to close off a debut album, bold move too for a group to put their big tune at the end of Side Two, builds a nice anticipation for it throughout like waiting at a gig for the band to play the song you know everyone is gonna flip over. If you're lookin' to pick this LP up (and you should be by now...), I'd recommend getting 'The Best of ? and the Mysterians 1966-67' comp; it contains this fab album along with its possibly even fabber follow up 'Action' along with some super rare single only releases (its also easily available on iTunes so no excuses!) Although they're not as heavy as some of the other groups on this blog, they're well worth the listen if you're a fan of poppy rock and roll with a unique edge, check em' out!