The Embrooks "We Who Are" out soon!

It may be December but there are still a bunch of what are sure to be ace records still to be released in 2018. For instance, the debut lp by AMOR isn't out till the 14th of December. Also released that day is the latest collection of fuzz-fried firecrackers from Folkestone's freakbeat faves, The Embrooks, If the teaser clip is any guide, "We Who Are" will be a worthy addition to the group's flawless discography:

"We Who Are" is coming out on the group's own State Records which recently released the insanely pounding "The World's End" by The Dirty Contacts:




I love Mr Rees's offhanded rasp and the solo halfway through scorches like it was played on a flamethrower. Essential!

The Jack Cades "Run Paulie Run"

Recently the cats behind Twitter's Psycho Sundae asked for their followers' favourite garage or psych track of 2018. Tall order, huh? After a bit of chin scratching and multiple sessions of hypnotic regression, however, it became apparent that Not Unloved's was this moody jangler (it's not all about the slammers!) by Warwick, England's The Jack Cades on French label Dangerhouse Skylab:

Volume 2 has long been my fave in the Pebbles series and "Run Paulie Run" wouldn't sound outta place or outta its depth in such revered company. Hopefully, they'll swing by Glasgow sometime soon as its sure to kill live.

The Spookies on Goodbye Boozy

Annoyingly, my secondary school's playing fields were on the edge of town around a mile from the main school buildings so, whenever we had football, hockey, athletics etc., we had 15 minutes or so to get ourselves out there. The PE teachers drove there (so negligent!) so we were unsupervised on our jog (ok - distracted dawdle). On our route there was a Spiritualist church. We called the Spiritualists 'The Spookies' and, if the door was ajar, people would be dared to run in for a peek. That was quite a dare as we were all a bit scared that them crazy Spiriualists were in there performing mad, demonic rituals (as one does on a Tuesday morning in March). I never plucked up the courage to venture in, that's for sure. These long forgotten memories came flooding back thanks to a new 7" by The Spookies on Italy's trash punk powerhouse, Goodbye Boozy. "(Sorry Baby) I Fell Asleep" is possibly the gentlest thing I've heard on GB. That doesn't mean to say, however, that it doesn't pack a right good, if lazy, fuzzy thump. There are echoes of "She Cracked" era Jonathan Richman, Iggy Pop and even Tom Verlaine in the singer's (it seems the whole band takes turns in the vocal booth so I don't got no idea who sang this particular song) wonderfully dunderheaded drawl. Top marks for the majestic, jangling intro and the frat boy loser first line: "I'm not a champion at getting gurls".

Brits can order it from Drunken Sailor Records' fine online distro.

Fuzz Filled Dreams

There aren't many folks around with a better handle on what makes a truly great garage tune than Kris from Record Turnover.  When he recommended this yesterday I knew to get on it straight away:

Holy smokes what a shredder!!!  The keyboard player is called Gravel.  That's all you need to know.  This group has Neanderthal blood coursing through its veins!  I just received the 'Order Update' email from No Hit Records to say that my copy has been released into the wilds of the postal system.  When it arrives there's gonna be frenzied tearing and the fevered turning up of the volume knob.  Until then, I'll have to make do with hearing it this afternoon when Kris DJs at the Double Sight Weekender (Mchuills, 5pm, FREE!).  "Fuzz Field Dreams" just scorched my brain and I'll never be the same.  Such savage thrills!

I Can't Wait To Love You

Garage bands inspired by the greats of the 60s as compiled on Nuggets, Pebbles etc. were ten a penny in the 80s but, in the main, the standard was pretty high.  One of the best of the bunch from the janglier/folk-rockier end of the spectrum was Mystic Eyes and their lusty and lustrous 1990 single "I Can't Wait To Love You" (unbelievably, still available through the Get Hip Records online store) still sets the pulse racing:

Just like that incredible solo from The Byrds' "Feel A Whole Lot Better",  its guitars whirl like ceilidh dancers and Bernie Kugel's endearingly nerdy vocal couldn't be more romantic.  To play this song quietly even once would be a total travesty so TURN IT UP and shake yr fringe!

The most unexpected reissue of 2012?

In an unexpected move, Spain's Munster Records has sneaked out a new 7" issue of the first of Edinburgh's garage legends The Green Telescope's two singles from the garage revival of the mid-80s, "Two By Two".  It's a single I've lost out on a couple of times in ebay auctions in recent years so it'll be great to finally have it on vinyl. Hopefully copies will actually show up soon in Scottish 7" racks!  By coincidence, I just bought this brooding toe-tapper by the group that sprung from the ashes of The Green Telescope, The Thanes:

All hail Lenny Helsing!