Record Review - Janey & The Ravemen

JANEY & THE RAVEMEN
Stay Away From Boys
Soundflat CD & LP

Following The Trashbones effort, another debut Soundflat release hotly anticipated by yours truly comes courtesy of Londoners Janey & The Ravemen. The line up reads like a who’s who of fine beat merchants - including founding members of 90s beat combo The Kaisers (George Miller and Johnny Maben) and former Rapiers bassist Brad Dallaston. Hell there’s even Ed and Rosie from new doom-psych and Happening favourites Purson on here! Here is an exceptionally authentic take on classic British beat. No reinvention or innovations were attempted on this LP! It evokes a time where the Joe Meek roster was in charge of the charts and every teenager in Britain seemed to have a copy of Beatles For Sale in their bedroom. ‘63-’64, the glory days of innocent British pop music.

Partially recorded at the analogue Mecca that is Toe Rag Studios, the album contains more covers of hits of the day than Miller originals. Let’s deal with the latter first, for they are first-rate. ‘I’m Gonna Have My Way’ is pure Merseybeat with a perfectly measured, teasing vocal from Janey. ‘I Know’ is the centrepiece ballad, a real beauty, making comparisons to The Hollies or Gerry & The Pacemakers at their chart-bothering artistic peak. ‘I’m Alright’ brought to mind The Roulettes and The Dave Clark Five, whilst ‘She’s A Raver’ ups the tempo and is my favourite cut on here, with it’s Manfred Mann and Fentones qualities (not to mention some fun backing chants and smokin’ harmonica). The title track is the most American-sounding number here, and as a result comes across as a bit cheesy I’m sorry to say!

The numerous covers are expertly done. In fact the playing on this album never deviates from being just the right blend of beat-y energetic spikiness and harmony-rich janglesome restraint. We’re treated to a fine reworking of an old Kaisers song to make ‘He’s Gonna Two Time’, and the bouncy Sandra Berry song ‘Really Gonna Shake’ (with excellent drum runs) was an early favourite on first listen. Also pleasing is the faithfully swinging rendition of ‘It’s So Right’ (The Swinging Blue Jeans), the Honeycombs-recorded Meek classic ‘If You’ve Gotta Pick A Baby’, a not-too-wet take on ‘Snakes, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails’, and finally a sublime go at the Ann-Margret classic ‘I Just Don’t Understand’.

Overall then a fine effort that all beat fans should grab hold of. Playing safe on a debut album with this style of music makes sense, but I’d like to hear more originals on the second LP, as the songwriting is not just 60s style, but 60s quality.

Phil Istine

Shindig! back issues still available

Many back issues are still available from our website - www.shindig-magazine.com

Shindig! No. 5

THE WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND • SAN FRANCISCO 1967 • JACKIE LEE • PETER NOONE • LOVE • MAD RIVER • PINK FAIRIES • MARK FRY • WYNONIE HARRIS

Shindig! No. 7

THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS AND THE WEST TEXAS SCENE • WCPAEB PART 3 • MICKIE MOST • JACKIE DESHANNON • HIPPIE LITERATURE • THE STRAWBS

Shindig! No.10

COUNTRY-ROCK FEVER - The Dillards, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Gene Clark, Goose Creek Symphony and more • BRITISH EXPLOITATION MOVIES • MARGO GURYAN • ZIG ZAG MAGAZINE

Shindig! No.15 • 

THE HOLLIES • RAMONES • BOSSTOWN SOUND • POPUL VUH • STEPHEN STILLS • THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND

Shindig! No.16 

PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS • CARAVAN • SHOES • SUN DIAL • THE LEMON DROPS • JIM McCARTY • FRANK ZAPPA

Shindig! No.17 

LEE HAZLEWOOD - GILES, GILES & FRIPP - BANG - PANDAMONIUM - MICHAEL FENNELLY - LOUISE - CAPTAIN SENSIBLE

Shindig! No.18 

THE BIRDS • THE REMAINS • TAGES • THE PURPLE HEARTS • HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH • JOHN SEBASTIAN

Shindig! No.19 

THE MONKEES • THE EASYBEATS • THE IVEYS • THE LIVERPOOL SCENE • JIM JONES REVUE 

Shindig! No.20 

THE SOFT MACHINE - ALLIED RECORDS - EUPHORIA - MERREL FANKHAUSER - THE LOVIN’ - NIRVANA

Shindig! Quartely No.1

THE ELECTRIC PRUNES • Q65 • STRAWBERRY STUDIOS • THE MAJORITY • THEE HYPNOTICS • THE INSOMNIAC'S CAFE • RANDY HOLDEN • FAIRFIELD PARLOUR • JOSEPHUS • HEDGEHOPPER'S ANONYMOUS • NEU! • PSYCHEDELIC VIDEO GAMES

Shindig! Quarterly No.2 

DONOVAN • THE ELECTRIC PRUNES • THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL • THE OUTSIDERS • THE MERRY-GO-ROUND • RONAN O'RAHILLY • INCREDIBLE HOG • JOHN LECKIE • DENNIS COFFEY • MERRY CLAYTON

Shindig! Quarterly No.4 

MOTT THE HOOPLE • THE TWILIGHTS • THE ALAN BOWN SET • NOEL HARRISON • PAUL BRETT'S SAGE • THE COMMITTEE

Shindig! No.25

THE BEE GEES • JASON FALKNER • THE MODERN FOLK QUARTET • MIGHTY BABY/CHILLI WILLI • JERRY SHIRLEY • THE M-80s • THE LEOPARDS • MARY EPWORTH

The following issues are now all sold out...

Shindig! No. 1

MOBY GRAPE • 14 HOUR TECHNICOLOUR DREAM • JOHN’S CHILDREN • BLOSSOM TOES • THE LAGUNA BEACH CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL 1970 • THE MOODY BLUES • STEVE ELLIS

Shindig! No. 2

GARY WALKER • THE SONICS • WENDY & BONNIE • PROCESSION • GARAGE FASHION • BUMMER CINEMA • MITCH MITCHELL • MOBY GRAPE PART TWO

Shindig! No. 3

THE 1965 SAN FRANCISCO SCENE - THE CHARLATANS, COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH, THE WARLOCKS • THE GTOS • GONN • THE FAIRYTALE • MOBY GRAPE PART THREE

Shindig! No. 4

THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR • THE SAN FRANCISCO SCENE 1966 – THE GRATEFUL DEAD, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY • QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE • THE STORY • BLUE ASH

Shindig! No. 6

MARC BOLAN & TYRRANOSAURUS REX • THE WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND • THE MOVE • YOUNGBLOODS • SLADE IN FLAME • JOHN KONGOS • FREAKROCK

Shindig! No. 8

THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES • THE SCAFFOLD • THE ZOMBIES • TIM ROSE • DOPE (THE MOVIE) • APPLE PUBLISHING • PSYCHEDELIC SOUL

Shindig! No.9

THE PRETTY THINGS • ALICE COOPER • KEVIN AYERS • THE SHE TRINITY • FUNKADELIC • THE COUNT FIVE 

Shindig! No.11 

KIPPINGTON LODGE & BRINSLEY SCHWARZ • RODRIGUEZ • H P LOVECRAFT • THE POETS • THE PRISONER • SANDY SALISBURY • HIPPIE LITERATURE

Shindig! No..12 

JULIE DRISCOLL & BRIAN AUGER • SPIRIT • KIM FOWLEY • WIMPLE WINCH • CIRCULUS • BOB LIND

Shindig! No.13 

PROCOL HARUM • PASTORAL FOLK • LAURIE JOHNSON • THE LITTER • BRITISH EXPLOITATION MOVIES • PETE ATKIN • NIK TURNER

Shindig! No.14 

BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND • THE BOSSTOWN SOUND • PROCOL HARUM • MIMSY FARMER • AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS

Shindig! Quarterly No.3 

THE LEFT BANKE • THE PAISLEY UNDERGROUND • ROY HARPER • THE BEAU BRUMMELS • LOS DUG DUG'S • DON JOHNSON

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Record Review - Wild Evel & The Trashbones

WILD EVEL & THE TRASHBONES
Tales From The Cave
Soundflat LP

A handy lesson in life is it’s not a good idea to pretend you’re not what you are. Instead sticker your debut album with the phrase “100% Neanderthal punk” so as not to confuse any passing Cliff Richard fans. This is the new outfit set-up by Wild Evel of The Incredible Staggers fame. The Austrian teamed up with former Roadrunners and these are the trash-tastic results of their initial recordings. The shows they have done in the past couple of years have been talked about by many (wild, outstanding, sometimes legendary), and anticipation in my household for this particular collection was strong. The template hasn’t shifted too much from the Staggers, though Wild Evel is now playing his unique three-finger organ in between climbing the speaker stacks. My first impression on listening to this album on headphones was that it is like having a bee flying in one ear doing a decent Dick Dale impression whilst Chuck Berry is riffing away in the other. Yes, that good!

Tales From The Cave kicks off, nay blasts off, with the shuddering, rumbling surf-fuzz riff and wailing harmonica (the latter courtesy of Bernhard Gold of fellow Austrian beat group The Jaybirds) that dominate ‘You Better Run’. Soon ‘Hot Rod Zombie’, with its Cramps-aping rhythms and vocals and its harsh honking saxophone (from none other than former Screaming Lord Sutch Savage Buddy Grabner!!), takes this song into killer, must-be-heard territory. The raw punk blast ‘Let’s Go Right Now’ and ‘The Avenue Of Death’ are simple and addictive. Spooky surf tune ‘Mobumbu Hop’ showcases another side to the band, but it’s still wild! As is ‘Cathalina’, the closest thing to a ballad on here. Ballad? I meant murder song.

To characterise Wild Evel’s vocals as primitive would be an understatement. He sings from bottom of his gut, and you must listen to the lyrics to pick up his wicked sense of humour. On ‘Beat Rat’ we’re reminded he is “living down in a dirty hole, playing primitive rock’n’roll/I look so ugly in a special way”. And on ‘My Baseballbat’ he tells his ex-lover who won’t leave him alone that “now it’s your head against my baseball bat”. With tongue firmly in cheek it’s very charming. The album is rounded out by two excellent covers: a heavy version of Art Guy’s 60s garage classic ‘Where you gonna go?’, plus a fuzzed-up cover version of sixties Swiss swingers The Sheape’s ‘Black Cat’. The latter is much better than the original!

The Trashbones invite you onboard their fuzzy Freak Train. Next stop: insane partying. The entry fee is your soul but the pleasure is worth it. Highly, highly recommended.

Phil Istine

Record Review - Magic Castles

MAGIC CASTLES
Magic Castles
A Records CD & LP

If you make shoegaze head music then getting one of the genre’s leading lights to endorse you is just the sort of career break that can make a band. It’s happened to Minneapolis five-piece Magic Castles with their third, self-titled long-player. Anton Newcombe (of the Brian Jonestown Massacre) signed them to his A Records label last year, and you can immediately hear why. The dreamy vocals of mid-to-late period Velvet Underground, the narcotic haze associated with BJM (and before them Spacemen 3), plus there’s also plenty of Elevator’s spikiness to both the electric guitars and gentle folk thrum to the acoustic ones when they appear.

Jason Edmonds and associates are lyrically concerned with trolls, golden birds, and other such whimsical nonsense/joy (delete as you feel appropriate). All the songs feel stretched-out, which suits them sometimes as the song qualities often only reveal themselves later on. The majestic ‘Ballad of The Golden Bird’ is eight minutes of crystal beauty, all subtle melody invoking misty hills. Yet on the cascading, watery ‘Now I’m A Little Cloud’ they demonstrate a wonderful idea poorly executed - it starts beautifully but soon hits a dead end. I think they could have done with a producer to rein in their excesses. Either way radio-friendly pop music this is not.

Were you to file Magic Castles next to albums by Tame Impala, The Paperhead, The Black Angels, or Black Mountain I think it would suffer by comparison. Diehard shoegazers will clasp this album to their bosoms, though I think everyone else will just shrug.

Phil Istine

News – RIP Davey Jones.

Terrible news about the death of the wee pre Fab Four pin up at the tender age of 66. He looked so healthy when we saw him too.

An obit will follow in #27 by Monkees' insider Rachel Lichtman. In the meantime, for those of you who missed Rachel's and Andrew Sandoval's Monkees' HEAD epic in Shindig! we still have some copies left that you can buy here.

Event – Regeneration