Ever had the experience of stand at a bus stop waiting for a Canadian Rockabilly CD to arrive then suddenly two arrive at once? That’s what happened to me (Except I was sat in my studio and not at a bus stop)
Last week it was my privilegde to listen to and review Matchless’ new offering and was all euphoric about that, when what should show up in my mail box but another CD which had made it’s way across the border from the our cousins to the North.
The first thing I do when reviewing a CD is not, as you might expect put it in a CD player and actually listen to it. The first thing I do is read the liner notes, the list of thank yous and the writing credits. This gives me a flavor of what has gone into this, culmination of, I’m sure, many months hard work, sweat and beers.
Christian D and the Hangovers have gone with a minimalist packaging, which in these days of tightening of belts and scarcity is no bad thing.
The CD slides into the slot and the stereo displays “Loading”….suddenly Track 1, Vampire Rocker, rips out of the speakers as if some demonic sect had summoned something which Buffy will have to deal with once it’s blazed a trail of carnage through the nighttime streets of Toronto.
Once the guys have you firmly by the throat, the release their grip a little with the second track. The whole CD, in fact, makes you sit up and take notice, with each rich, pounding rhythm, they crescendo they way through to, what is in my opinion, their magnum opus The Cramps‘ Cornfed Dames.
They could’ve ended there but, no. Just when you’re full and can’t eat another thing, along comes that waiter with the offering of the wafer-thin mint. In this case it’s bass-slapper Mack singing lead on Dime a Dozen….oh well, I guess I can manage one little chocolate-covered mint.
Here they are in action singing track 3 on their new CD, live.
