The Anglo-American Imbeciles are led by writer / guitarist Butch Dante’s , originally starting out as a conventional punk band, Wartoad,

2019’s ‘The Imbeciles’ debut album was taped in eight deranged days,(so the story goes) in a haunted studio on the Texan-Mexican frontier, For the new album, Youth from Killing Joke’s El Mirador studio in southern Spain ,was utilised taking the music in a totally different direction. Along with the band Youth’s musical partner Michael Rendall played keyboards, with Youth playing bass and co-writing throughout.

Now at this point I have to say I stand by everything I said about the band live even though this recorded version is a very different ball game.

Opener “Tiny Blue people” sleazily crawls out of the speakers a real rock and roll intro grounded in the underground rock sound, a real ear worm of a track that really sticks with you the guitar riff holding you in a post punk haze.

On the opposite end of the scale next up “Its not about you” is almost alt pop perfection not unlike the direction Rich Ragany is moving in the vocals leading, the guitar picking at you with a real arena sound. This then takes us into ” I’m not the One “ hitting the sort of heights set out by Beastmilk, this LP really is all over the place, you just can’t pin them down (Not unlike the live set).

Next up London rain has that almost 60’s Carnaby street vibe, modernised (at least into the 70’s) with the spirit of Lenny Kravitz circa Let love rule. That Kravitz vibe remains in next up “Van Man”. Before we drop back into that 60’s/70’s garage rock vibe with “The name of the Rose” again pulling up a very different direction ala Razor bats first classic lp.

“I won’t let you down” has almost a psychedelic 70’s feel hinting at early Floyd.

Now I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed anything and mentioned Lenny Kravitz, Rich Ragany’ The Razor Bats, Beast milk and post punk in the same review as influences, not ever and probably never will again, showing how all over the place this LP is! “Your gonna Wanna” shakes that classic rock and roll tree, while “Soldiers and Junkies” drags us back into the underground Rock and roll sleazy place we love to be in. “Lets go!” tears out of the speakers and “Superstar” is just about the perfect ending to what is a cracking LP, so if you like any style of music that sits within the Rock and Roll orbit you really need to check out the Imbeciles, Simply Stunning!!!!

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Author: Nev Brooks

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