Bad Actors released their album on Sioux Records who have previously released the excellent albums last year from Richard Bacchus and The Yowl who both made my best of albums for 2021. Bad Actors was supposed to come out a while back and what with covid etc the can got kicked down the line and delays with one thing or another means it’s only now getting a vinyl release but it’s limited so don’t snooze.

So what do they sound like? well, it’s a Rock and Roll record in the time-honored traditions of The Heartbreakers and Joneses but the vocals have much in common with The Humpers.

Hell, it’s a loud sloppy old-school punk Rock n Roll record. It’s buzzing with energy from the first note of ‘Steal Your Heart’ to the final refrain of ‘Cold Mercy’. Ten tracks of really good noise.  When you hear influences like The Candy Snatchers and Humpers then you know it’s got to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

‘Eyes On Top’ is a scuzzy slow rumbling rocker with low-fi vocals delivered with a bit of menace that meanders to the chorus where you get hushed piano tinkling the time-honored stooges one finger fuck you honky tonk whilst the guitars just kick out the jams like the Nomads. There’s tub-thumping into a Heartbreakers slog on ‘Anthem’ of course it’s called Anthem why wouldn’t it be? Imagine you’re in a beer stained club, it’s late you’ve had one beer too many and someone hands you a large glass of Jager shots and then the dry ice hits you and the speakers crank out some ear-shattering bad boy boogie and ‘Backfire’ creeps out of the speakers and you can’t help but get involved well ‘Black Static’ does that and some.

‘Pale Rider Dark Horse’ sounds live in the studio with a cool lick on the intro before the whole band kicks up a shitstorm much like Chelsea Smiles. These cats can Roll with their Rock and its powerful stuff. It’s got attitude aplenty and they have a fantastic sleazy sound its like a muscle car with plenty of grunt and a middle digit in your face but once you familiarise yourself with it then you will be the best of friends.

Man there’s even time to wind up some psychedelic riff-a-rama on ‘Who Knows Why’ but once it gets going it’s top drawer stuff. ‘Off My Head’ is sleazy power pop at its finest mashing up old school 50-60s pop with Punk attitude and rounded off with handclaps and boogie piano. What’s not to like? Man as we head into the final fling of this record we get some Detroit-like riffs on ‘Sister Slowdown’ that will rival anything out of Sweden – honestly. The pace is taken down for the final fling as ‘Cold Mercy’ is sinister menacing Rock n Roll.

So when I say these are limited to 300 pieces on white vinyl don’t waste time – if the postage from further afield than the USA is your problem I suggest you check out their other releases and pick them up and discover a new label that supplies the most excellent punk rock and roll records.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley