Gulag Beach Mach Kaputt EP
Maximum energy German garage punk—think OBSERVERS, SOVIETTES, MARKED MEN, and the like. Every song is a damn anthem and I’m sold.
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL
Maximum energy German garage punk—think OBSERVERS, SOVIETTES, MARKED MEN, and the like. Every song is a damn anthem and I’m sold.
We’re getting off to the right start with this one. I like power pop and I like harmonies. And I really don’t mind when my punk rock is a little pretty. This one reminds me of things like the PRIMITIVE HEARTS and IT’S GLITZ, though at a slightly calmer pace. All five tracks are winners, not least the acoustic number they finish with that features a little country twang, “Song for Sadie,” a song previously done by SUSPECT PARTS. (Your homework is to figure out the connection.) This one is worth looking for.
In their first full-length release, LA’s LAUNCHER delivers twelve super fast tracks, all but one clocking in under two minutes. The sound channels some of that LA ’80s punk snottiness through a lens of rock’n’roll riffs, the result landing in a strange quadrant of punk populated by gross, freaky punk pioneers like the CRUCIFUCKS and also sometimes by snotty street punk bands like L.E.S. STITCHES or BLANKS 77. LAUNCHER keeps a tight hold on the fury and weirdness of that intersection while avoiding the cheesy tropes. There are no sing-along parts here.
With some power pop, it’s hard to dig deep and really dial in that critical ear. But dig I must, even when part of me just wants to say that like 90% of the genre this album is “fine.” These Londoners probably have the right record collections among them, with touchstones spanning from the ’50s R&B-indebted stabbing piano of the opening track to the more contemporary nod to GENTLEMAN JESSE on “Anecdotes.” Even when the band loosens the collar a bit with crashing guitars on a cut like “Keep Me Alive,” it sounds like they’re still on the leash. It just doesn’t punch through like I want in a good, modern rock’n’roll band. But that’s not to say there’s anything glaringly bad on this full-length. It’s just…fine.
This three-piece from London delivers some solid power pop with a bubblegum sheen. You get a very polished and clean recording all the way through, which can feel a little clinical, but there’s a fair amount of fuzz here, as well as occasional vocal distortion. The bass comes through really strong, almost too heavily in the mix. Overall, I think the tracks are well-balanced and inspire singalongs on the first spin. Guitar is piercingly clear, though not as gritty as I’d like it to be. They sound like mod revival and more on the ’60s garage end of the power pop equation. Typically I’m into stuff with faster riffs when it comes to this genre, but I like it just fine. Though it’s not credited on the the liner notes, it sounds like there are keys on the track “She’s a Reaction,” and it’s a nice melody to fit in. My favorite song is “I’m on the Brink,” though I still do wish it was just a smidge faster. Cool band, good way to start off sunny days.
Stuff on Wanda can be kind of hit or miss for me. I mostly like it, but you can’t help but notice that it’s almost entirely based on nostalgia. I suppose every label has its thing. All that said, this is super catchy punk rock that takes you right back to 1977. When this sort of thing isn’t done well, it’s absolutely terrible. When it’s done well, it can be infectious. If you’re a fan of bands like the BRIEFS, you’ll likely enjoy this. I even get a little TOY DOLLS every now and again. This is entertaining stuff. Seriously, they bat twelve for twelve for me.
This can be incredibly catchy, in a sing-along sort of way at times. And with female vocals and background “ooh ooh ooooooh”s, it’s super melodic and right up my alley. Their lyrics are in no way shallow, taking on real issues like a woman’s right to control the destiny of her own body. In terms of musical style, it reminds me of 1977, mostly because it can be super catchy, but it’s also got a grinding guitar that is more like early hardcore. It’s sometimes got a quirkiness that doesn’t always land with me, but overall it’s a great effort. From one of my favorite cities in the world, Berlin, Germany. And they even give us a surprise track in German towards the end of the record!
While this isn’t new music, these two tracks, which were recorded in 2016, are previously unreleased. Whenever I hear songs that were recorded years ago but are just being released now, I’m a little underwhelmed. The same is true here. I generally like the GAGGERS’ stuff. It’s mid-tempo, classic late ’70s punk. It’s raw. It’s in-your-face punk. But if the songs weren’t worthy of release in 2016, what makes them worthy of release now? The lack of any new music? I remain skeptical.
If you’re a fan of stripped-down, female-fronted garage punk, this could be right up your alley. If you lean towards raunchy lyrics, you might even end up touching yourself when you listen to this one. Comparisons to the DONNAS are fairly obvious, but the lyrics are more direct and the sound is definitely not quite as “produced.” For me, it’s a shtick that’s a little too focused, like you’re backing yourself into a pigeonhole.
