A group like The Neumans from
outta Santa Ana, CA, USA truly brings it home that the real sound of the garage
hasn't really been properly represented by too many young groups and certainly
not in so many’s a long year. The great thing about this here debut album in
its sheer directness, and pure simplicity. I mean why over complicate things
when you don't really have, or need to. But that's not to say this is one of
those lo-fi / no-fi two and a half chord drone slopes that likes to think it's
in the garage punk family… Uh uh, no way Junior! Instead, these young
"where it's at" hopefuls take several ladlefuls of primordial goo
flavourings, infuse with scalding fuzz abrasions, add in heaps of screechy -
squealy hypno-organ and simmer with a high dose of snotty vocals - preferably
of the 'yeah ya cheated on me babe' variety. (They already got the bass and
drums well-seasoned too.) Then they mixed it all in a vat somewhere deep inside
a dark, underground cave but all the while makin’ sure everything is kept loud
and wild and, voila, they (and courtesy of Ritchie Apple’s keen ear and winning
heart, you and I too pals) have one of the coolest, most garage-punkin'est
teenage hootenanny platters this side of the whole 'Pebbles' and 'Back From The
Grave' series!
‘Fuzz Filled Dreams’ - also
issued as the group's debut 45 - is a full-blown trip in itself, the group
seemingly caught in some back-in-time whorl of nightmarish hoopla ard green 'n
purple torment that is positively seething in it's execution! Other titles such
as 'I Don't Mind', 'I Had A Little Girl'', 'Stroke Of Midnight' and 'Gimme Your
Love' - plus more - all have a cranked lean-ness that will surprise and
delight, and give even the most jaded garage punk know-it-all a brand new
Cheshire Cat grin for days, such are the Neumans' surefire whip-fast injections
of total unexpurgated garage punk grooviness. Boys 'n girls I urge you to get
with this before it gets with you. This is the past, present and future of
rock'n'roll doncha just know it! -Lenny Helsing
The Neumans - The Neumans
(Vinyl, Screaming Apple Records 2014) FLAC 320
Enjoy!
Great stuff, Pubbi. I hope you are well, my friend!
ReplyDeleteHi Lester, I'm feelin' fine... hope it's the same to you!
Deletecan you reup? liks are down
ReplyDelete