Description
1. The Monster Within
2. Give It All
3. Misery
4. The Damned
5. Bleed
6. Stay Back
7. Electrik Shock
8. Rest In Pieces
9. Cucaracha In Leather
10. Kill Kill
11. Suffering And Pain
12. Devil In Disguise
13. Lies
14. Rolling Down
Montreal’s The Brains have recently signed with Sailor’s Grave Records for their new album of fourteen infectious psychobilly stompers. Rhythm section Pat Kadaver (drums) and Colin The Dead (stand up bass), and Rene D La Muerte (vocals / guitar), really get down to business on this album with tight, and fast rhythm, and La Muerte’s smooth vocals and his slick guitar playing.
“Stay Back” has been released as a single and a better representation of the band could not be found if they tried. Singer La Muerte’s warning to listeners to “Stay back baby, I’m the wrong one, you know I ain’t no good for you, I got a bad reputation I’m a wild one, I ain’t the one to make your dreams come true”, could very well be that statement that sums up the band right there. The title track was also released as a single and is every bit the equal of the second single, both are rockabilly, punk, and just good time drinking and fucking shit up songs. The playing on these songs is fast, furious and raucous, the perfect antidote for the sterile and boring junk played on the radio. “Give It All” is a true statement, this band is giving it all especially on this track with the careening guitar licks, the pounding drums, the thumping bass, the gang vocals and the catchy as all get out chorus. “Misery” takes you back to the ‘50s with the charged up rockabilly on this song, the way La Muerte croons on this track, and the deft guitar playing really makes this song shine. As you listen to this album, you just get drawn in by how easily the band takes the reference points of the ‘50s rock music and the punk energy of the late ‘70s and combines them to make a perfect racket that will get you up off your rear end and start to dance uncontrollably. “The Damned”, “Bleed”, “Suffering In Pain”, “Devil In Disguise”, “Lies” and “Rolling Down” are more rockabilly with a hard edge, but not punk, and show how they update rockabilly for modern days. “Electrik Shock”, “Rest In Pieces”, “Cucaracha In Leather”, and “Kill Kill”, add more punk to the mix and give the songs a sharp edge. The playing on here is impeccable, you wouldn’t think that the unholy sound was created by only three guys, but three guys playing their hearts out, or is it their brains?
As I’ve listened to their last couple of albums, these guys just keep on getting better, the playing gets tighter and the songs just keep getting more and catchy, and they seem to get stuck in my CD player for days on end. The Brains prove that rockabilly / psychobilly has a place in your collection with this album of perfectly created ear-scorching tracks that defy you not to love them, so just give in, buy the damn album and dance until your knees give out. (Rick Ecker)
