The Factory – ‘The Factory’ (Acetate Records)

The Factory – ‘The Factory’ (Acetate Records)

I had the pleasure of reviewing the original unearthed Sleazy glam rock n rollers many years ago after these tapes had been unearthed and dusted down from the bowels of some DC studio. Sure there is a healthy mid to late ’70s Stones going on but these cats did a great line in sleazy Rock and roll not a million miles from the Lords and Hanoi as well as a few another top tier Punk n Rollers.

I’ll confess to not playing this CD for a while and when this cropped up with bonus songs I gave it another spin and wondered why the hell I’ve not pulled this out from time to time to go for a spin. Songs like ‘True Romance’ were a match for early Dogs D’Amour and the Lords meets Hanoi jonesing on the Mid to late ’70s Stones still sounds exciting.

The Factory burned like a roman candle, then disappeared into the night. The Washington D.C. opened for Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Public Image, Ltd. and Johnny Thunders, in the late ’80s and gained a lot of fans.

Led by Vance Bockis it was Unfortunate that outside influences got the best of them and The Factory broke up in 1992 without formally releasing anything more than a track on a compilation LP. Until this that is. To be fair ‘Ecstacy’ is perfect Lords meets Hanoi from that James jangle crossed with the saxophone its a great tune.

Growing up in DC, Acetate Records president Rick Ballard was a fan of the band and he held on to their demo for the last 20 years. He recently found the band online and immediately contacted them to discuss a release – the master tapes were located, cleaned up and mastered.

‘That Girl That I Want’ is a belter.  Pure sleazy Punk n roll with some top horn honking over a great Thunders like rolling riff.  The band gets a little funky on ‘Love To Dance’ which could have easily fallen off The Second Lords Album But the band really excels when they cut loose and just strut their stuff.  The last two tracks being excellent cases to ram home my point especially ‘Six Feet Down’ with its dirty riff but it ain’t over quite yet as the bonus material that’s been unearthed is a trio of live tracks kicking off with a belting take on the Dolls classic ‘Chatterbox’ when a band gets it they just get it and effortlessly sizzle. ‘Sweet Jane’ is the perfect LES anthem for these DC rockers to pour into the speakers and a jolly fine job they do of it as well. Then to wind it all up they throw in a live rendition of their own ‘Misfortunate Son’ wrapping up a really awesome thirteen.  If any of the bands I’ve mentioned in the same company as The Factory then you should down tools and clock in and give this long lost band a new lease of life and this really impressive record a second chance.  You know what to do kids…I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Buy it!

Bandcamp

 

Nine Pound Hammer – ‘Sex, Drugs & Bill Monroe’ (Acetate Records)

Nine Pound Hammer – ‘Sex, Drugs & Bill Monroe’ (Acetate Records)

Way too much of a good time is being consumed in Kentucky and I’d imagine the bands name comes from the hangover they have the following morning or what it would feel like you’ve just been hit with.  Loud, Fast, Wild and reckless cowpunk Hard Rock is the name of the game and hammered home it is too.  From the sprightly opener, it just gets more wild from the awesome screaming ‘Hookers And Hot Sauce’ through the Confident cock of the walk ‘Black Sheep’ which sounds like Rockpile if they were from the US of A and drove pick up trucks and loved BIG Amps and overdrive.

Sure there are lumps of Supersuckers meets, Johnny Cash and some lush Les paul guitar breaks some prime time early DC and plenty of boogie-woogie going on. ITs no holds barred from the anthemic ‘Everybodys Drunk’ through the Un PC ‘Fighting Words’ like fast n furious Jason and The Scorchers but they head back into old school cowpunk with a cheeky grin on ‘Mamas Doing Meth Again’ with a splendid lap steel break to make it all ok, I Think?

With Blane taking a break from Nashville Pussy this seems like the right time to kick back and just rock the fuck out ‘Rode Hard’ is a blast and Scott Luallen vocals are superb pure oil and gasoline rip-snorting vocals and if its respite you’re looking for then this isn’t the album – it’s relentless rockabilly with hard rock guitars and cotton-picking rhythms that sound like they’ve just napalmed the valley and gone home to down some more moonshine.  I would, however, like to see a line dance to ‘Hell In My Hand’ so long as they promise to turn it up for a romp through ‘Ain’t Worth Killing’.  ‘Cookin The Corn’ is a real stomper before they kiss this record goodbye I kept waiting for it to go full throttle but it doesn’t but hey ho that’s cool, there’s one last hurrah in the shape of ‘The Way It Is’. Crack open a six-pack and sit on the porch and shout at passing cars – it’ll be a hoot! Nine Pound Hammer is back in the saddle and these ones bucking and kicking like a slapped mule.  like what Mike Ness wanted to do with his solo albums but forgot to stop in Kentucky and drink some moonshine.

Looks like the good people at Acetate are loading all the NPH albums up on their Bandcamp page for digital rock and rollers everywhere.

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Author: Dom Daley