Here it is, my track by track take on Radcliffe's latest:

Ratings:

5 stars: 429 cobra jet--flat out demolishes anything lined up against it
4 stars: 390 Boss--cuz there's no replacement for displacement
3 stars: 351--Windsor or Cleveland, holds its own, built and it'll beat most others
2 stars: 260/289/302--small block, generally underpowered
1 star: 200--I ain't drivin' no straight 6


1. The Dogs "John Rock and Roll Sinclair" 4 stars Strong opener, great bluesy 70's garage power.

2. TSAR "Superdeformed" 3 stars I really like about half of this one--problem is, it's not a contiguous half. The really good parts are good enough to keep it from 2* status, but the refrain is really really weak (the part that paraphrases "Jesus it's just all right" or something akin)--those interludes perturb me.

3. The Wonderfools "Teenage Fartbomb" 4 stars Sloppy and frantic, I like it. Any variety to their other stuff, or is this the bill of fare?

4. Asteroid B-612 "Danny's Sister" 3 stars Great driving throw-back guitars, but the distorted vox detract from it. Kinda wish it was an instrumental.

5. The Intercontinental Playboys "Baby Hang Up" 2 stars I'm not sure why this one fails to connect--it's quirky, and I'm generally a sap of "tell the girl to get lost" songs. This one comes across as a touch too bland.

6. The Everyothers "Like A Drug" 5 stars One of the three best tracks on the mix. Guitars, drums, bass, vocals--all excellent, reeling through a well-written song to boot. It's noisy without being messy, with interludes that separate rather than disrupt the song.

7. Volumizer "I Promise You, Thomas" 5 stars Two hawmakers in a row. It's soooo easy for female vocals with harmonies to come off trite/sickly sweet. This one avoids the trap. It's got the perfect amount of bite.

8. The Shazam "Rockin' And Rollin'" 4 stars I dig The Shazam--although they're all over the place at times in terms of style, they always bring it off--and much like Cheap Trick it sounds goofy enough to be fun but underscored by solid rock. That said, I prefer when they channel The Cars a la "On The Airwaves" or "RU Receiving".

9. The Zatopeks "The Night Spider Earned His Colors" 3 stars Enjoyable, well-played, but doesn't really grab me and shake me by the lapels. More of a built 351 rather than stock (3.5 stars if I scored halves).

10. Kelly's Heels "Should've Seen Her" 3 stars Almost sounds like the Black Crowes. Pleasant, but not a grabber.

11. The Pyramidiacs "Second Chance" 4 stars I'm a sucker for Aussie power pop, and this is no exception. One of the few tracks with which I'm already familiar, these guys do a great job injecting a nifty recurring 70's--almost Thin Lizzy-ish vocal styling to the power pop stew.

12. The Insiders "Slightly Cracked" 3 stars Another solid track that holds its own but doesn't differentiate itself--executing the formula without breaking beyond.

13. Kevin K. "Whores Of Babylon" 5 stars Loves me songs chock full of rock and roll references. Couple them with solid punk-pop garage and I'm sold.

14. The Clifton Foundation "Squirrel Conspiracy" 2 stars Quirky subject, but falls flat. I think I'm looking for a rodent invasion to have something funny or endearing about it.

15. Freddy Lynxx and The Corner Gang "Soul Power" 4 stars A solid track, chugging right along.

16. The Stoneage Hearts "Trouble Girl" 4 stars Digs me some DM. He's got a real Stems psychedelic fuzz on this one, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the album (which is already on order).

17. The Insomniacs "Maryanne Lightly" 4 stars More fuzz, fits really well after the previous track. I was shocked to see this here, I remember these guys as The Tea Club back in my NJ college radio days--they used to play the student lounges and cafeterias on campus, and dropped by the station a *lot*. Glad they're still cranking out some great mod-garage. ACES!

18. The Hollywood Brats "Southern Bellles" 4 stars Another rocker. For some reason, it triggers in my mind The Who's "Long Live Rock", if only The Who had done anything this good in the 70's.

19. Dimestar Halos "Black Glitter Baby Doll" 3 stars Catchy and decent, but it tends to wander about.

20. Honeycrack "Samantha Pope" 2 stars This could grow on me, probably a Boss 302 rather than a 260. I'm not sure I like the slowed-down staccato chorus/reprise.

21. The Yum Yums "Chewy Chewy" 3 stars Bubblegum! It's fun, but risks becoming annoying after a few listens.

22. The Sweetbacks "The First Hit" 3 stars Decent again, but not exceptional. I think it's the vocals that lose me--seems like they're shouting because they're not capable of anything else--they don't pull this off well, compared to, say, The Nasty On.

23. John Ford "Dragged" 3 stars Closer to 4 stars, another 302--this seems like it would be much better live than Memorex. I get that the sense that it's smokin' but has lost a lot in the studio.

All in all, another solid mix that I'll keep in normal rotation. I'm order a few things because of this--so mission accomplished and well done. Despite a few "2"s, no real clunkers here.

never heard of any of those bands. jesus h.

Dang - two mix reviews in almost as many days. This is like a Radcliffe Christmas (A Radcliffe Christmas was a great movie, btw - just put the kids to bed before playing the DVD). Thanks, Billz!


The Dogs were actually around in Detroit in the early '70s, then moved to L.A. for the beginnings of punk in '77 - but were already outcasts for being too old school.

Nope, no variation. They called their album Kids In Satanic Service as a tribute to Kiss, and that makes some sonic sense.

Yeh, I know what you mean about those vox - but they remind me of Radio Birdman while the rest of the song sounds like Chuck Berry from inside the speaker.

Yup, like I said in that other thread - this album would've made my Shmoo poll top 20 if I'd only heard it in time.

I really like how this pop/punk confection manages to sound like it's off some soundtrack to an old '50s gang movie. There's just something naively charming about it.

Almost the same charms to me as the Zatopeks. Reminds me of Buddy Holly airlifted into a Buzzcocks song.

Gotta admit, I feel the same way about it as you. In its defence, however, it is short.

I was amazed to discover that the Hollywood Brats recorded this album in '73 - which made them contemporaries of the NY Dolls (both sonically and sartorially) - but it wasn't released until 1980. I might have to start one of those "Ignored Classics" threads in their honor.

Damn - this song rocked my world for a couple of months last spring. I've been trying to get others to see the light, but with no luck. Guess I gotta admit to myself that it's not you, it's me.

If my parents had been the oldest instead of the youngest, Bilz and Rads could have been some pretty cool uncles.