Starting in
1986, vocalist Timothy Gassen set out to make music that replicated the sounds
of sixties garage psyche as closely as possible. Listening to this collection
of his efforts, there can be little doubt that he succeeded in that endeavor.
Although band members came and went, the band’s vision stayed intact. Fuzzed
out guitars, farfisa, tons of reverb, and a vocal style that strongly recalls
Jim Morrison permeate just about every track on here. About all that changes in
the band’s nearly 20 year career is the emphasis on lead guitar and extended
jamming, which is more pronounced as the band enters the nineties. Although
it’s all perhaps a little too much of the same thing for me, a few tracks
definitely stand out. Personal favorites include “Psilocybic Mind”, “The
Mummy”, “13 Ghosts”, and “When It’s Dark”. The main downside for me is that,
despite the similarities between the voices of Mr. Gassen and Mr. Morrison,
Gassen’s pipes are decidedly more limited in range. Luckily all the various
musicians that floated in and out of the band through the years consistently
deliver the goods, which helps compensate somewhat. Throw in Gassen’s skill as
a songwriter and appropriately retro production, and the end results are
definitely above average, though short of mindblowing. This “Best Of”
collection also includes a DVD with several videos and live performances by the
band, so you definitely get your money’s worth. (Bob Ignizio)
I’ve always felt pretty
much “take it or leave it” with regards to Bob Dylan. Can’t stand the guy’s
voice, but he wrote some great songs early on that have since lent themselves
quite well to reinterpretation by numerous other artists. What we have here is
yet another reinterpretation, this time giving Dylan’s tunes a garage punk
feel. All the songs are taken from the short but prolific period of Dylan’s
career between 1964 and 1966, with the lion’s share coming from 1965 (the year
Dylan “went electric”). The results are quite rockin’, although maybe just a
bit too much of a good thing. Dylan’s forte has always been lyrics, and his
chord progressions get a bit repetitious after a while. Still, whether you’re a
Dylan fan or a garage rocker, you’ll probably enjoy a good portion of this disc
before it starts to wear out its welcome. (Bob Ignizio)
The
Purple Merkins were a side project of The Marshmallow Overcoat, including most
of the same personnel and boasting a similar sound, as well. A bit more raw and
rock oriented than the Overcoat, but hardly a drastic departure. Vocalist
Timothy Gassen also employs a more varied delivery with this project, although
the Morrison similarities still pop up here and there. The Merkins never
recorded a full album, just a few singles and EPs, and this CD collects ‘em
all. I like the Marshmallow Overcoat stuff a little better, but if you dig that
band chances are you’ll want this, too. (Bob Ignizio)
Rocket 350 – ‘Built to Last’ (Rock
N Roll Purgatory)
It’s been some time
since The Reverend Horton Heat and Southern Culture on the Skids almost “made
it” in the mainstream, but the neo-rockabilly scene is still going strong even
if its profile isn’t as high as it once was. For proof, just pop in this CD
from Rocket 350. Frontman Phil 350 is a true triple threat, excelling equally
at singing, playing guitar, and writing (he penned all 13 tracks). Highlights
include the hard charging “Monster Truck”, the fun and bouncy “The Best”, and
the moody ballad “Old Ink”. Absolutely no new ground is broken, but hey, if you
want rockabilly you probably aren’t looking for too much tinkering with the
formula. Good songwriting and strong vocals ultimately save this one from
becoming just another coaster. If you like the style, you’ll want to check this
out. (Bob Ignizio)
Starting in
1986, vocalist Timothy Gassen set out to make music that replicated the sounds
of sixties garage psyche as closely as possible. Listening to this collection
of his efforts, there can be little doubt that he succeeded in that endeavor.
Although band members came and went, the band’s vision stayed intact. Fuzzed
out guitars, farfisa, tons of reverb, and a vocal style that strongly recalls
Jim Morrison permeate just about every track on here. About all that changes in
the band’s nearly 20 year career is the emphasis on lead guitar and extended
jamming, which is more pronounced as the band enters the nineties. Although
it’s all perhaps a little too much of the same thing for me, a few tracks
definitely stand out. Personal favorites include “Psilocybic Mind”, “The
Mummy”, “13 Ghosts”, and “When It’s Dark”. The main downside for me is that,
despite the similarities between the voices of Mr. Gassen and Mr. Morrison,
Gassen’s pipes are decidedly more limited in range. Luckily all the various
musicians that floated in and out of the band through the years consistently
deliver the goods, which helps compensate somewhat. Throw in Gassen’s skill as
a songwriter and appropriately retro production, and the end results are
definitely above average, though short of mindblowing. This “Best Of”
collection also includes a DVD with several videos and live performances by the
band, so you definitely get your money’s worth. (Bob Ignizio)
I’ve always felt pretty
much “take it or leave it” with regards to Bob Dylan. Can’t stand the guy’s
voice, but he wrote some great songs early on that have since lent themselves
quite well to reinterpretation by numerous other artists. What we have here is
yet another reinterpretation, this time giving Dylan’s tunes a garage punk
feel. All the songs are taken from the short but prolific period of Dylan’s
career between 1964 and 1966, with the lion’s share coming from 1965 (the year
Dylan “went electric”). The results are quite rockin’, although maybe just a
bit too much of a good thing. Dylan’s forte has always been lyrics, and his
chord progressions get a bit repetitious after a while. Still, whether you’re a
Dylan fan or a garage rocker, you’ll probably enjoy a good portion of this disc
before it starts to wear out its welcome. (Bob Ignizio)
The
Purple Merkins were a side project of The Marshmallow Overcoat, including most
of the same personnel and boasting a similar sound, as well. A bit more raw and
rock oriented than the Overcoat, but hardly a drastic departure. Vocalist
Timothy Gassen also employs a more varied delivery with this project, although
the Morrison similarities still pop up here and there. The Merkins never
recorded a full album, just a few singles and EPs, and this CD collects ‘em
all. I like the Marshmallow Overcoat stuff a little better, but if you dig that
band chances are you’ll want this, too. (Bob Ignizio)
It’s been some time
since The Reverend Horton Heat and Southern Culture on the Skids almost “made
it” in the mainstream, but the neo-rockabilly scene is still going strong even
if its profile isn’t as high as it once was. For proof, just pop in this CD
from Rocket 350. Frontman Phil 350 is a true triple threat, excelling equally
at singing, playing guitar, and writing (he penned all 13 tracks). Highlights
include the hard charging “Monster Truck”, the fun and bouncy “The Best”, and
the moody ballad “Old Ink”. Absolutely no new ground is broken, but hey, if you
want rockabilly you probably aren’t looking for too much tinkering with the
formula. Good songwriting and strong vocals ultimately save this one from
becoming just another coaster. If you like the style, you’ll want to check this
out. (Bob Ignizio)