JUNKYARD "Shut up. We're trying to practice
!"
(Cleopatra)
A JUNKYARD live recording at last ! These cowboys of sleaze-blues-punk-rock
had disappeared body and soul when the grunge wave rose, and here they are
again in 2000 with a live recording from 1989 !! We may question this late
release, but we can only congratulate people at Cleopatra who show once again
(they did that with BANG TANGO too) their undeniable will to reexpose some
artists who had been victims of the fashion (and not fashion victims)
that major labels impose. Listening to the record, the first thing that strikes
the listener is the authenticity : no overdubs here, no backing vocals recorded
in studio, no superfluous production, it's in the rough ! Raw is the watchword.
Even if the guitar solos are not always perceivable enough, if backing vocals
are sometimes bawled out of tunes (pleonasm), and if some false notes may
slip discreetly into the rhythmics, what is important is the atmosphere above
all (close your eyes, spill down some beer, sniff your armpits and you'll
get it !) and the intrinsic quality of the songs (special prize to the anthem
"Hollywood".) About the track listing : Almost the first album in full, only
one title from the second LP (Misery loves co.) and two particularly angry
cover songs (Ray Charles and ZZ TOP) put an end to this show made of rock'n'roll,
fun and energy. Like a big spit on musical correctness, this live record
is plainly pleasurable. Omok.
