DIRTYBOMB - The Star Spangles (Tic Records)
"Someone please take care of us," implores vocalist-guitarist Ian Wilson on "Take Care of Us" - and he might add that it needn't be a major label. Having finally extracted themselves from a deal with Capitol that seemed to have them cooling their heels for an inordinate time after their debut long-player, "Bazooka!!!" landed, the New Yorkers are now down to two original players: Wilson and guitarist Tommy Volume - although departed bassist Nick Price and drummer Joey Valentine played on this. They're also on a new label (Tic Records) where they obviously have a lot more freedom.
Battles with labels in the past, The Star Spangles don't need your sympathy as much as your ear, and although "Dirtybomb" doesn't hit with the same initial acrid impact of "Bazooka!!!", there's much to recommend in this baker's dozen, most of which grow with each listen. Is that grow or explode? No Gang War covers or Hoodoo Guru cops this time out, but the agony aunt advice of "Tear It To Pieces Girl" is as cocksure a singalong as anything on the debut. "Take Care of Us" is evidence of a band in growth mode, with its chiming chords and choppy accents.
There's no "I Live For Speed", the abrasive and catchy stand-out on "Bazooka!!!", but Wilson's "Gimme An Answer" is the classic driving pop-rock gem that the previous album lacked, hip-shaking in a Groovie-esque way and radio-friendly. A bona fide hit pick and the centrepiece for mine.
The band hauled ass from NYC to the West Coast for recording and Jason Carmer's production is poppier and more measured than Daniel Rey's on the last album. There's a lot more augmentation this time too around with veteran Ian McLagan (Small Faces) leading the way on piano and Hammond. Rey recorded, produced and added piano to the closing "Someone In You", an oddly stripped-down ballad.
Sometimes, one-sheets that come with CDs are worth reading. The media release with "Dirtybomb" would have done as liner notes, with Richard Meltzer coaxed out of wherever he exists these days to pen two pages of very funny banter.
This band could still be the Thinking Man's (or Woman's) Strokes. Their songs sure are better. Their dress sense still looks like they raided Walter Lure's closet but that's a bad thing?
Better than Cheap Trick, a more durable proposition than the Heartbreakers ever could have been and, above all, a whole bag of fun. Miss it at your peril. - The Barman
1/2
BAZOOKA!!!
- The Star Spangles (Capitol)
Publicly
dumping on contemporaries The Strokes might have been a publicist's godsend,
but these New York boys manage to convince that (a.) it wasn't a contrived
attack ('cos the Spangles really are
a better band) and (b.) they don't take it all that seriously, anyway. Unashamedly
ripping off the likes of the Heartbreakers, the Replacements and D Generation,
they're brash punks in new wave threads, all skinny ties and combed-down mullets
with rough-hewn guitars and snarly vocals.
"Bazooka!!!" (NB: three exclamation marks) is amped-up and as trashy
as fuck. What's more, I'm reliably informed by someone who met them that they
know that's what they are. If you're looking for informed commentary on global
socio-politico trends or a critique of Proust, you won't find either here.
But if you derive your kicks from the timeless formula of noisy, often dumb
three-chord songs that hang off singalong choruses ("Which One of the
Two of Us Is Gonna Burn This House Down?", "LA" or "I
Live For Speed") you'll probably lap this up. The Star Spangles work
within their limitations and deliver brilliantly.
These are nice simple songs that sound good. Daniel Rey produced, so you can
blame him. Vocalist Ian Wilson can hold his own with any of the current crop
of snotty tunesters. The backline is solid enough with no hint of overplaying
and guitarist Tommy Volume whips up a nice wall of noise.
Particular point of interest for Australians: "I'll Get Her Back"
truly is the Hoodoo Gurus' "I Want Her Back" with a lyric change
and the soaring chorus/hook declared M.I.A. More a curiosity than a keeper,
it nonetheless gives a clue as to where some of the less obvious influences
are coming from.
Speaking of top order touchstones, Thunders connections abound (as if Walter
Lure's taste in ties isn't a dead giveaway). JT used to use "Volume"
as his pre-Dolls surname, "Science Fiction/Science Fact" resorts
to faux girl backing vocals a la "Great Big Kiss" and there's even
a Gang War cover ("Crime of the Century" - props for making out
the lyrics from one of those shitty bootlegs).
Anyway, this is the sort of album that's bound to divide listeners into opposing
camps. The intractables will diss the Spangles as they're on a major label
and the media is hyping a heap of similar bands as rock's (latest) saviours,
while the other side will not get too het up about the derivations and enjoy
it on its own merits. It is, after all, only rock and roll.
The point is that this is pretty good rock and roll - and with a new garage
band being declared flavour of the week whenever you blink, it's important
to sort The Shit from the just plain shitty. - The
Barman
