Always turning out interesting slabs, this four-song job contains two originals and two covers (RESIDENTS and FUGS). All are creative, with a variety of sounds ranging from crypto to country blues to folk bizarro. Only “Get Real Loose” is a real rocker, but even it isn’t in their previous sometimes-thrash mold.
LOVE CIRCUS makes more raw psychedelic noise on their first 12″ effort, yet they generate neither notable songwriting nor a pervading sense of atmosphere. Even though “Live Forever” contains some pleasantly brooding instrumental touches, they’re usually more annoying than inspiring.
An uneven garage rock band from the hinterlands of Illinois. Their faster semi-punk cuts (“Tell Me Where” and especially “Too Easy”) have a loud and primitive drive that’s rather appealing, but the others are very boring songs in the traditional hard rock/heavy metal vein.
A five-track 12″ of classic garage punk. You don’t find too much of this stuff around anymore. Retarded, melodic, and real raunchy. The cartoon cover is cool.
“Ruined by Technology” is more like it. This record provides the best argument since the 100 FLOWERS album that garage punk outfits should dissolve rather than trying to “progress.” Here, the AUTISTICS seem to be aiming for the trendy rock ’n’ rolly dance audience with that addition of slicker production and a hokey sax. It’s a shame that they decided to discard the rawness instead of the idiocy (manifested here by “Asian Drivers”), although I do like “Mirror.”
