Stacy Crowne – ‘We Sound Electric’ (Savage Magic Records)

Stacy Crowne – ‘We Sound Electric’ (Savage Magic Records)

I’m not a massive believer in fate or why things happen but I was asked to give a record a listen and possibly review it.  The dilemma I had was it was originally released late 2019 but hey the world has been on stop for some months anyway sure I’ll listen.  Then when I was putting together the pictures and links for this review I got a message from a label and asked if I’d ever heard a band named Stacy Crowne.  Now here’s where it gets spooky up until a few weeks ago I hadn’t but they did a split with a band I love (Christmas as it goes) and I reviewed the single last month and was really impressed with the sounds coming outta Stacy Crowne and then things snowballed The singer got in touch I played the record and then the label got in touch over something else entirely and bang as I type I have one of those boxes pop up whilst I’m spinning the record on my laptop its only Stacy Fucking Crowne! now that might just be a coincidence but we all know the evil powers of Rock and Roll and how they work so it might well be a sign and horns up for the band because I took it as the rock and Roll Gods telling me to turn the fucker up and band out my review and let everybody know how damn good this slice of Hard Rockin’ action is!

Strap yourself in kid this might get bumpy! From the opening ring of the overdrive, this is most definitely in the same ballpark as the scene back a couple of decades that had Gluecifer and The D4 ruling the roost along with Hellacopters and a hint of Supersuckers and Turbonegro.  If anything this is understated which is a shame (I missed it when it was released)  because opener ‘Oblivion’ sets the tone but by no means is the standout track maybe its the loosener opening couple of shots to accompany the big one and you have to build up to that nobody dives straight in or you’ll crash and burn but its got all the vital ingredients to Rock and Fuckin’ Roll but ‘White Lies’ adds the tambourine which is nice as the band cruise through the gears with a song not a million miles from Captain Poon and Biff Malibu its loud got a cool hook and plenty of punch but remains cool as without a bead of sweat on their brow nor a hair out of place this is good no I mean Good!

There’s always time for a bit of Boogie along the lines of Backstreet Girls ‘Tightrope’ with a really tight chorus with layered BV’s almost power-pop wearing big boys leather gloves and mirror shades if you know what I mean? and the keys added really lift it.  Great track.

When they just want to rock out they do so with consummate ease (‘Some Equals None’) they add some neat bass runs on ‘Get Loaded Now!’ Basically if you ever hankered after a record that has loud guitars but not for the sake of it loud and ever wanted riffs and plenty of crash bang wallop then ‘We Are Electric’ is an album you have to hear. The title track or ‘We Are The Rest’ delivers in spades and throw in some of that dirty rock that bands like American HEartbreak or The Four Horsemen touched upon but also delivered great records.

 

If I had to pick a standout track then it would have to be ‘Lovebite’ sure it sings from that classic Gluecifer hymnsheet but damn it’s a good song with gang vocals and laid back verses it’s quality and some splendid guitar playing, especially on the breakdown. It only leaves the power ballad of ‘Too Easy’ to cruise off into the sunset.  Only joking its not a token power ballad but it is like one of the Hellacopters road movie tunes, a little more laid back than the others maybe, and with some dueling guitars noodling for good measure its been a blast.

I’m only gutted I didn’t pick this up late last year but hey we can’t be on top of everything and I’m glad I’ve had the pleasure of playing it over and over now.  I won’t be making that mistake again.  Just buy it.

Buy ‘We Sound Electric’ Here or Here 

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Author: Dom Daley

Various Artists – ‘A Fistful More Of Rock & Roll, Vol 3’ (Screaming Crow Records)

Various Artists – ‘A Fistful More Of Rock & Roll, Vol 3’ (Screaming Crow Records)

A Fistful More of Rock & Roll, Volume 3 contains Twenty Six of the best Rock n Roll bands from all over the world! Originally slated for release in January of this year manufacturing problems and a pandemic pushed it back to July 31, 2020. Although all the bands/songs are sweaty, beer-soaked denim dripping Rock n Roll, Available on CD and gatefold double LP.

Liner notes from Producer Sal Conzonieri of Electric Frankenstein.

A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll – Volume 3 continues in the same tradition that the original 13 volumes of A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll did from 2000 to 2007. 

It’s the Return of the Return of Rock ‘n’ Roll,Call it what you like Action Rock Punk n Roll does it really matter? It’s Straight down and dirty, Loud n lustful, Action Rock revolution, High Energy Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll yadda yadda yadda.

Action Rock, Punk N Roll, Hard Rock now we’ve established that you can actually call it what you like if its good I’ll give it a spin and if it’s not then no thanks I’ll pass.  This new age of “Action Rock” is churning out records at a rate of Knotts and for the convenience of keeping all these alternative bands under one umbrella, I happen to think its in rude health.  Having covered a lot of these bands over the years I find it warming that they’ve been brought together  thanks to the super hard work of Sal.

Starting in the late 80s and early 90s, a worldwide Rock revival / New Rock Revolution sprang up, from Scandinavia to the USA to Australia to Wales. Spontaneously, around the world, a group of bands developed this new sound, such as Poison Idea, Action Swingers, Bullet Lavolta, Big Chief, The Fluid, Blue Hippos / Otto’s Chemical Lounge, Celebrity Skin, The Kings of Oblivion, Flower Leperds, Fearless Leader, The Lazy Cowgirls, The Donnas, The New Bomb Turks, The Didjits / The Lee Harvey Oswald Band / The Gaza Strippers, Dwarves, Zeke, Supersuckers, The Hookers, Nashville Pussy, Easy Action, Trash Brats, Candy Snatchers, Adam West, The Cherry Valence, Jakkpot, The Upper Crust, Speedealer, B-Movie Rats, The Stitches, The Humpers, Rocket from the Crypt, The Superbees, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Zen Guerilla, The Murder City Devils, The Mud City Manglers / The Cheats, D Generation, Electric Frankenstein, The Black Halos, The Spitfires, Danko Jones, American Ruse, TV Killers, Dumbell, Temporal Sluts, Thee STP,  Aerobitch, The Pleasure Fuckers, Safety Pins, The Nomads, Puffball, The Rockets, The Hives, Gluecifer, The Flaming Sideburns, The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies, Turbonegro, The Onyas, The D4, The Datsuns, The Powder Monkeys, The Panadolls, Mustang, Hoss, Teengenerate, Supersnazz, Jet Boys, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, and so on, that were all featured on the first series of the “A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll” compilations.

Today there is a whole new generation of young bands and (cough, cough) not so young bands delivering the goods and knowing exactly where the action is.  they have built upon what the previous bands started, keeping Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll alive and full of high energy. Thus, a second series is necessary to document this: “A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll”; No mistakes at all when I say this is one of the loudest compilations and no quarter is given not even an inch.  Side one pairs up Deathtraps with Egyptian Gay Lovers both playing loudly but both offer something quite different from each other. As far as Deathtraps go they’ve just released an excellent album full to the brim of loud rock and roll and a leap in quality from the first which was pretty impressive as it goes.

Flexx Bronco opens up side two with a cool rocker ‘Heart on the Floor’ and again it’s sounding quite different from the Elvis meets Danzig rock of Nevadah and ‘Iggy Dog’ but I have to admit I have a soft spot for the most excellent Drippers record ‘Solitary Speaking’  rumbles along like a freakin’ steam train heading for oblivion.  A quite ferocious cut for sure. Then to follow that with Randy Savages Rockin’ and a rollin’ on their single Guilty of Nuthin’ is an exceptional burst of energy and how can anyone not get behind that guitar solo!

Of the bands I’ve never heard before Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre is one with a bit of a mouthful but fear not Rockers the guitars are slung low and the energy levels are in bloom. Moving away from the Punk n roll attitude of a band like Randy Savages you have The Dirty Denims who pray at the altar of DC and all things ROCK!

There are some bands I’ve not heard anything from in quite a while and to be fair bands like The Cheats are kicking serious backside as is Dog Toffee someone I’ve not hear anything from in a while and they sound excellent as do East Coast Low another new one on me and their solid thump.

It might be an idea to listen to this in healthy chunks so as to not overwork your brain and to give your speakers a chance to recover.  Projeckt Daghouse  are kicking up a hellish racket but they are overshadowed by a band I’ve championed since hearing their debut. Poison Boys have got the lot from the pretty faces going to hell. But trying to pick a favourite side is like being forced to choose between the kids.  But don’t tell anyone but the last record is freakin awesome such is the quality of songs on offer.

It’s fair to say I’m impressed and this is right up there with the best for sheer quality and like I said earlier the amount of hard work that went into making this project a reality and all these cool bands delivering the goods on mass is a real Boon to the scene. An honour and a feather in the caps of those who get featured and being associated with such a quality compilation.  I hope Sals turned his attention to volume 14 and I look forward to hearing who and what is on offer because this is only the beginning of the second wave. Now if only this virus would be kind enough to fuck off and let us get back to live shows maybe we can see some of these bands in the flesh tearing it up around the stages of the world.

Pre-orders and limited edition purple vinyl available exclusively Here

Author: Dom Daley