LOST IN SPICE - Stoneage Romeos (Action
Records)
A bona fide fun time from go to whoa, "Lost in Spice" is the edgier follow-up to "Into the Wild Blue Yonder". Edgier, because it throws some geopolitical commentary into the mix, but it's no less fun and an equally rocking time.
If the band name didn't convince you that they're a bunch of Aussie-philes, the Stoneage Romeos' cover of the New Christs' "No Next Time" might. It fills the bill well, as do two other reference points in "Sex Beat" (RIP Jeffrey Lee Pierce) and "Last Drive" (by L.A.'s great Hangmen). It's the originals that ultimately will be the measure of a band, however, and the Romeos write some rippers.
"The Girl I Love" (featured on a recent I-94 Bar podcast) is a prime example: crunchy guitars and and irresistible backbeat, swept along on Gilles' Rodi's insistent vocal. Sterling stuff. There's a serious side to these Romeos and the Bush commentary "Dubya" nails the man exactly. Given recent history it was only a matter of time the French gave it back to America in general and "Top Class USA" is a scathing slice of bile that manages to lyrically reference the latter-day Screaming Tribesmen.
"I'm the Dude" drifts into skatepunk land but I'll grant them that indulgence in light of the rest of the record and songs like "Nobody" and "Invisible". The Stoneage Romeos are obvious graduates of the French school influenced by the Citadel label and its reach into Europe. I'd go as far as saying if Citadel had an active European roster, they'd sit pretty well on it. Think of the Stoneage Romeos as a little Heartbreakers without the needle imagery and the Hoodoo Gurus in their "Crank" days.
Production is (again) fullsome with lots of presence, courtesy of the accomplished Johnny Cat.
If you're a fan of soulful rock and roll with a cutting garage edge but are wondering how the French fit into the picture, here's a great place to start. .–
The Barman
INTO
THE WILD BLUE YONDER - Stoneage Romeos (Action
Records)
Had this French outfit nailed as a slavish Radio Birdman/Detroit tribute band
from the grim looks on the bands' faces on the cover and tunes ("Do the
Pop", "Like a Curse", "Dangerous") on the back. (Of
course, if I
were in a band it would probably be a slavish Radio Birdman/Detroit tribute
band, but I digress).
"Do the
Pop" IS a Birdman song and "Dangerous" is not the Sonic's Rendezvous
Band but a song by Adelaide's Exploding White Mice. OK, the Mice were fairly
the bastard offspring of the Motor City and the Ramones, but that's where
the clenched fist salutes start and end. Covers are good to show where you're
coming from but ultimately it's the quality of your own tunes that gets you
home.
Happy to say the seven originals (the opening "Bad Bad Bad" is a
Supersuckers cover, so that makes up the 10) are more than up to the mark.
In fact, most fans of Dee-troit hi-energy will take to this like a Tek-ophile
guitar exponent to a white Epiphone copy, but it's also tinged with a large
serving of pop sheen. I'd place this in the general vicinity of the Streetwalkin'
Cheetahs; both draw inspiration from the Detroit well but add their own thing
as well.
If this is the radio-friendly, French face of hi-energy jams, count me in.
I'm a sucker for bass-and-drum drop-outs and "I Don't Like" makes
ample use of them to fill out its three minutes. "Filth" is the
Hoodoo Gurus in an abusive mood with some fine guitarwork and a great groove.
Despite its title, "Like a Curse" actually sounds more like a Birdman
driving song than a New Christs psychodrama, and rocks adequately. "You're
So Fine" nails a fine melody to the mast and comes home with a wet sail.
(For anyone unfamiliar with sailing analogies, that means it fucking rocks
regally.)
Stoneage Romeos (no prizes for guessing from where THAT name sprung) are apparently
direct descendants of the Gangbangers, who hail from France's soputh-east.
They also engaged a gun producer in Johnny Cat (aka Jean Cataldo) of TV Men
and Backsliders fame. If you know them, you'll know what to expect and he's
done a great job melding punk attitude with tough pop frosting.
The only drawback is the album's length - it clocks in at 26 minutes. Not
a bad thing when it leaves you wanting more so brevity is almost a winner
on that level.–
The Barman
