THE RAUNCH HANDS' BIG TOPP - The Raunch Hands (Licorice Tree Records)
Texan label Licorice Tree Records is something of a fan club for Mike Mariconda and his Raunch Hands, a New York City garage-trash band whose heyday was in the late '80s. Reformed for a Spanish jaunt in 2002, they recently re-animated again with a re-jigged line-up to record "Big Topp", with core members heading all the way to Austin to recruit some local players to fill the ranks.
Anyway, if Licorice Tree is looking for an overseas outpost to fly the flag for Mariconda and Co, they have a taker right here. From the get-go this is a greasy, bombastic garage-blues party. A steamy engine room puts 10 wheels for Jesus under a double-D rig and rolls on down the interstate highway with lights blaring and all cylinders firing. 10-4 good buddy, we got ourselves a garage convoy...
All sorts of elements are at work here, from Southern fried rock to barrelhouse piano-soaked N'Orleans swamp stomps and playful, dirty soul. Mariconda's guitarwork is deft and solid, while old (Raunch) hands Mike Edison (drums) and Mike Chandler (vocals) - the other two core members - play and/or sing up a storm.
Saturday night party declaration "The Sophisticated Screw", the catchy-as-a-cold-sore "Mojo Hannah" and the weekend soul brunch work-out "Kick Me One Down" are richly manic in their own way. "Big Topp's Pop Spot" is a driving instrumental that's irresistible. "Big Boat On The River" even gets dusted off and covered and turns on the strength of a pervasive percusssion line , an ominous guitar pulse and Edison's fearsome, menacing vocal.
This album swings like an outdoor shithouse door in a hurricane. You don't need to know much more.
One more important point: Mike Edison is a former publisher of High Times (but never inhaled) and staff writer for Screw whose one-man party/debut album as the Edison Rocket Train is a crazed minor masterpiece worth tracking down.
So there you go. A reunion album of sorts with a reason for reuniting. The original Raunch Hands only produced a couple of LPs and an album, as well as a slew of Crypt label singles, but if you're in the market for a smutty good time, look no further. –
The Barman
