Soaked in beer, sweat and sex, Melbourne’s Grindhouse delivers a loud ’n’ fast album dripping with guitar riffs. This is their second offering.
It sure sounds like Ricky “Pony Club” Audsley (lead guitar), Mick “Two Fingers’ Simpson (vocals-guitar), Adrian’”The Father” Cummings (bass) and Liam “Sticky Wicket” Chuffley are having a blast playing these tunes.
Kicking off this assault on the ears is “I Just Want To Drink At The Tote” (a song about a great little hotel in Melbourne’s Collingwood) is a good, old fashioned party song. “Throbbing Eye” and “Why” keep the album moving along. These are drinking songs…pub songs…fuck Facebook songs. “Old Ship” and “Casual Sex” are more flat-out rock ’n’ rollers - and they do rock, baby. LAMF!
These guys are V-8 car racing, fun loving punk rockers who have worked every shithole/bar around their town and the rest of the country. They flew to California, set up shop for two weeks of recording and drinking at Whiskey’s Kitchen in LA and smashed out 12 songs in three days.
Steve McDonald (Redd Kross The Melvins) produced the album and keeps it all tight and flowing with no waste and no filler. The band chassed this man down; they wanted to work with him sent him their first album. Somehow, they got visas and, with a bit of crowd-funding behind them, they got their wish. Read the interview on their web site for more graphic details. It’s very funny.
Back to the songs and “SLR 5000” is 60 seconds of speed; it’s a classic, just waiting for some exposure, and a balls-to-the-wall rocker. Then - wait for it - there’s a love song for Peter Russell Clark, the ‘70s TV chef. The song named after him is a catchy anthem, a sing-a-long tune that you will be chanting all day long:“Peter Russell Russell Russell…Peter Russell Russell Clark”. Catchy, isn’t it?
The rest of this 35-minute punk party is a screaming, no brakes, just flat to the floor car wreck. Hold on tight or get the hell out. “Clearly/I Don’t Want Out” ends this album in a very fine way and shows that Grindhouse are a rock band and not just a punk band.
“Clearly” has a real Stooges feel to it (like a “Raw Power” demo) and i like it, It got me smiling was it the clunking piano maybe?), Anyway, next time Grindhouse are playing the Tote, or anywhere else for that matter, I’ll be there, beer in hand and slurring the words with some like-minded punters.
Do not leave the CD cover on the bar as it might get mistaken for a beer coaster. It’s a Peter Brock/Malboro cigarettes-inspired piece of artwork that’s easy to mistake. There’s no political correctness here, just good old rock ’n’ roll. This recording is compatible with most sports and not just V-8 car racing. Responsible listening advised.
