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On a recent Saturday night in Ballard
the beer was flowin’, the kids were dancin’ and the
bands were fuckin’ golden. The Cripples kicked down
synth-driven dancey post-punk and the Gloryholes
blasted out soul-driven rock’n’roll like no one’s
business, but the main reason why the masses flocked to the
Sunset was to see the Hot Rollers. After all, it was
the CD release party for Seattle’s premiere all-girl
garage rock band. The Hot Rollers brought it all, the
costumes and dancing girls they are now famous for, along
with plenty of fun, catchy garage rock. The CD, “Got Your
Number,” has a healthy nod towards ‘60s garage rock in
more ways than just the music; the album was engineered by
the legendary Kearney Barton, who recorded bands like the
Sonics and Ventures back in the day (and is behind Norton
Record’s Northwest series). Barton has to be ancient now;
there is a great picture of him in the CD booklet with Chris
from the Gloryholes, who helped produce the album. It’s a
fun CD of catchy slow-to-medium-paced garage rock that
reminds me of some of the great ‘60s girl bands, but with
the current decade’s guitars and flair.
Vancouver, Canada’s Pointed Sticks had a brief
and mostly forgotten career at the end of the ‘70s and
beginning of the ‘80s. Featuring Dimwit from the Canadian
Subhumans on drums, the band played catchy power pop and pop
punk and gained worldwide attention as the first Canadian
band to sign to Stiff Records. The band broke up in 1981
after one album and not much touring, never really finding
commercial success. Since this is the 25th year anniversary
of the release of their album “Perfect Youth,” the folks
at Vancouver’s Sudden Death Records (owned by Joey
Shithead of DOA) have re-released the album in an attempt to
keep Pointed Sticks on the map of Canadian punk rock
history. Hints of Elvis Costello, Stiff Little Fingers and
the Clash abound, “Perfect Youth” is a catchy glimpse of
early Northwest pop punk and still quite a fun listen today.
I don’t think I’ve ever checked out Seattle’s Space
Cretins because I thought from their name they were some
kind of hippie jam band. Holy shit was I wrong! I didn’t
realize it was two of the guys from the Beserkers and they
sound way better than their previous band. Their new “Rocket
Roll” CD is packed full of guitar-driven garage punk rock.
Yeah, you’re sayin’ “Dan, that describes a thousand
bands” and you’re right. But a thousand bands don’t
sing about being from the stars and sound like some
spaced-out, fucked-up mix of the Ramones, the Didjits and
Stitches, with a slight bit of Jello Biafra in the vocals.
Needless to say, I think the new album, produced by Mr Jack
Endino, kicks all kinds of ass.
I’ve been watching the evolution of Portland’s Cootie
Platoon since first catching them live a few years ago.
I really liked how they mixed up catchy punk with country
influences and a female singer, similar to Seattle’s
Cookie, although they sound nothing like them. If you’ve
heard any of their three previous CD EPs, you will recognize
some of the songs on Cootie Platoon’s new full-length
album “Sicky Sweet.” There are a couple songs from each
EP plus and handful of new tunes. I really like the
recording; it’s thick and not overproduced, yet totally
pro sounding. The music is full of hooks, from the jangly
slow numbers to the driving punk. “Sicky Sweet” is
definitely getting airplay on my next summer road trip.
One thing I’ve always like about Bellingham’s Federation
X is they sound like no other band out there. They
combine garage rock, punk and a little math rock in a
propulsive and unique way. Through their quite extensive
discography their sound is always evolving, yet always
present is the same rockin’ vibe. Their new album “Rally
Day” on Estrus Records will be out in stores July 12.
(Pick up their last album, "X-Patriot," for free—plus
two other albums—with a paid Tablet subscription!) It’s
easily Federation X’s most rock album so far, yet it’s
not like mainstream rock’n’roll at all. This is more in
the Fireballs of Freedom, Makers, Catheters, Mudhoney vein
of rock—fucked-up, booze-driven, hopped up, garage
influenced rock’n’roll. And I do have to say it’s
great, probably the best album yet from Federation X.
Friday July 8 Tablet is throwing a kick-ass rock 101
party at Neumos and I want you to come! Every month we
here at Tablet HQ give so much to you for free and ask for
nothing in return. All our hard work and effort is done by
an army of volunteer writers, photographers, artists and
staff because we love our community and feel it needs more
voices. It’s your turn to give back a little by kicking it
at our party with us over a few bands and drinks. It’s the
best gig in town that night and will surely be a blast, with
the Lights, the Turn-Ons, the Vells, the Bee Keepers, a
local fashion show and some great prizes, including $150 of
tattoo work from Anchor Tattoo. All for a measly $7. You can’t
go wrong.
Just get me to the airport and put me in a plane, hurry
hurry hurry, before I go insane...
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