The Next Big Thing

Been pretty busy of late what with the rebuilding The Garage links resource and the more mundane, but necessary, web duties required at work. Fortunately, there’s always time for listening to music and here’s a few discs that have grabbed my attention over the last couple of months.

The Legendary Too Drunk – Hobson’s Choice

At last the long promised mini-album from Too Drunk that by my conservative reckoning has been a cool sixteen years in the making. Think chunky rambunctious garage pop with Johnny Thunders guitar lines and cheesy organ fills. “Hobson’s Choice” comprises of eight memorable originals that will have you smiling from ear to ear and swinging from the light fittings in no time. In my opinion “Here Come The Good Times” and “The Shape I’m In” are two of the best songs to come out of the UK garage rock scene over the last few years. Rest assured that Too Drunk are a psychedelic garage band guaranteed to whisk you away on a “Magic Carpet Ride” and no mistake.



Uptight – Collars & Cuffs E.P.

The latest three track offering from this Yorkshire-based Mod band with strong garage rock leanings. Uptight has been recording infectious garage-pop-soul for the best part of three years and still remain without a record label. A bit of minor tragedy in my book. This time round on CD-R they pilfer from the Creation while adding a bit of the Supremes for “If It’s All The Same To You”. The other two tracks, “Technicolour TV Head” and “Collars & Cuffs” ain’t bad either. On disc or on stage, Uptight clearly enjoy what they are about. Somebody sign this band before the next hyped wannabies from Detroit hit town.

The Flakes – Stayin’ Single

A CD-R of their first two 45 rpms with a couple of extra bonus cuts. When the Flakes played the Dirty Water Club recently they visually reminded me of yet another 1960s fixated garage band, forunately they proceeded to deliver a set in an altogether more ‘70s punk manner. Perhaps it had something to do with the presence of ex-Mummie, Russell Quan, on drums, or even the fact that they were selling DMZ t-shirts on the merchandise stand. Blimey O’Conolly, if you dig the magic that DMZ applied to various nuggets then you will enjoy the Flakes big time. Step this way for loud, sloppy, and fun renditions of “Bip Bap Boom”, “Good Good Luvin’” and “Long Gone”. The disc is available at shows or from the band’s website.