KEEP
WINNING - The Retardos (Out of the
Loop)
Hailing from the city (Oslo) that's given the world both Turbonegro and Gluecifer
(and the massive shadow that goes with that) could be too much for some bands.
The Retardos prove that it's not a problem for them.
The
Retardos are Andy Apeman (vocals/guitar), King Killi (guitar/vocals), Riff Randall
(bass/vocals) and George Gorilla (drums) and have been around since 1997. "Keep
Winning" is their second long-player, following on the heels of their self-titled
debut. Like Turbonegro and Gluecifer, the Retardos are an impressive mix of
punk and hard rock. Instantly, you can hear the echoes of The Stooges, MC5,
Dead Boys, New York Dolls, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, AC-DC, Kiss and Motorhead.
Openng with "Second Best", the rhythm section are energetic and solid
as Andy Apeman howls away in a decidely Lemmy-like manner. He and King Killi
slash and burn on guitar. The title track "Keep Winning" might pull
back the pace somewhat but this song is strengthened by the impressive vocal
delivery from Andy Apeman (incredibly reminiscent of Gluecifer frontman Biff
Malibu). "Apeman" picks up the pace and is raw, high energy punk rock-n-roll
that really impresses.
"Sunshine Coming Out of My Ass" is quite a departure from the rest
of the album and is an opportunity to display the band's musicality in a surprisingly
concise manner. The combination of "Shit Out of Luck" and "Suck
Me Off" is a quality pairing. "Shit Out of Luck" picks up the
pace and then "Suck Me Off" maintains the energy and rage. "Rockin'
Boy" closes the album in solid, high energy fashion. The Retardos' "Keep
Winning" is without doubt a quality release from a Scandinavian group who find
it unnecessary to dress up in uniforms, look like Joy Division or try too hard
to be cool and hip. - Simon Li
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