Feast your ears on the fabulously vintage trio THOUSAND WATT STARE!!!
Posted on Feb 11, 2011 / Posted by Ann Allen /
If there is one thing at KNOBROCK that we know, it’s that no matter what album you bring to the table for us to review, we will use all our sonic and rockin’ expertise and deliver you our verdict, like a mortician delivers the dead.
Having said that, it’s really refreshing when a band comes along that really ups the ante on the opposite side of the scale of complete dog-shit. THOUSAND WATT STARE, is that band.
Forget the enormous productions, the wailing solos and the glass shattering falsettos. This is the purist side of the rock ‘n’ roll journey; the roots, the raucousness and the filth. My God yes, the filth. THOUSAND WATT STARE’S self-titled EP is all these things and more, but firstly let’s get the history of this trio of whippersnappers…
UNWRITTEN LAW’S Pat Kim, was with us all through the late ’90s, up to and including 2011, with Dylan Howard bringing the beats to the ‘Law in 2008. TWS front-man, Chris Martucci, has been galavanting around the California punk scene with various bands, for a decade or so now, also. But if you are too young to remember the glistening alternative and punk ‘zeitgeist’ of the ’80s and ’90s though – hallelujah – you can live it vicariously through THOUSAND WATT STARE’S bad-ass debut right here. This EP is tough, it’s carnal – and best of all these lads channel a spirit of fucking rock that will never date or become old.
From the opening track Downsider, I am catapulted flawlessly into the energy that this track excudes. I contemplate if this will set the tone for the tracks to come and then I put my [metaphorical] seat belt on and start the engine.
Photo by Bryan Kneiding. Click to visit TWS HQ.
This is followed by Lights Out, an instantly likeable groove. By the first chorus you’ll feel like you are listening to this song live, the energy just flows so effortlessly. It’s a smooth groove for my little sonic road trip.
Just when I’m feeling completely satisfied, Bad Heart, begins and rocks me all over again. This is a definitive sing-along song and it cruises along nicely like a balmy summer night. The vibe is simply fabulous and this track actually reminds me of an amazing indie-band of the early 80s, THE PLIMSOULS.
If I close my eyes and drink in tracks, Shine and TV Casualty, as well as pour beer down my shirt and smoke a cigarette, my mind’s eye and the music, along with the dank smell, takes me to a seedy Hollywood club, circa 1982, where the THOUSAND WATT STARE sound equated to rock and roll gospel. This was a time where underground bands were authentic, unpretentious and thankfully played no part in the shit that most popular music has evolved into today.
THOUSAND WATT STARE’S EP is old school but don’t be fooled by that over-used cliche – I’m using it exactly as it should be used. This EP is fresh. This EP is raw. This EP is a brilliant introduction from this Los Angeles based trio. So brilliant, if I’d never heard of them and you played me this EP and said, “These guys opened for The Specials in 1981″ I’d believe you.
Grab the THOUSAND WATT STARE EP on iTunes, http://www.facebook.com/thousandwattstare, your favourite mp3 site or your local record store and fucking pay for it, you pirating-gimps.
Tags: review, the specials, thousand watt stare, unwritten law
