Smash Fashion - Rompus Pompous

LA's premier junkshop glam outfit back with a new LP!

“Rock is dead they say, Long Live Rock!” - The Who, 'Long Live Rock' 1972

“Hey hey, my my, Rock and Roll will never die” - Neil Young, 'My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)' 1979

Rock music's resilience is something else (as Eddie Cochran might have said!) Should human civilisation ever destroy itself, millions of years from now some future race of intelligent cockroach on an archaeological dig will probably find a Crosley turntable and stash of RSD reissued Thin Lizzy and AC/DC albums. They'll treat them as sacred texts and a new religion will arise, with power chords, pinched harmonics and sexually charged lyrics at its core. That's how resilient rock music is.

The last time Rock took centre stage in the mainstream was when The Darkness were on the verge of becoming world beaters with their first album. That never came to pass but it did show that classic rock had more mileage in it. Justin and co never fulfilled their early promise but they did serve as a reminder that classic rock is called classic for good reason

LA-based quartet SMASH Fashion make a heady brew of music that merges classic, stadium and glam rock. They serve it up with a hefty dose of good natured humour and some cheeky innuendo. And wouldn't you know it, it's fun! If their latest album Rompus Pompous had been released in 1979 it might by now have been getting the RSD colour vinyl reissue treatment, weighted as it is with all the tropes and moves of rock classicism.

Their debut LP Big Cat Love came out in 2014, since when main songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Roger Deering has stockpiled a fresh batch of hook-laden gems which make up their new long-player. Such is the infectious joy spread across the record, even Bowie's go-to keyboard man Mike Garson was persuaded to guest on the album, contributing piano to 'Smiles And Daggers'. It's impossible to listen to Rompus Pompous in its entirety without a smile appearing on your face. This is good-time stuff that justifies being played loud. Plenty of twin guitar solos, '70s FM playability, a knowing silliness and a production sheen not often found in 2018. Stick this on in the car on your way to work and Monday morning's sinking feeling will soon disappear. Out now!

Click here for the band's website.

Click here for SMASH Fashion on Facebook.

Wedge - S/T Debut LP

Berlin trio's riffing, rocking debut! For fans of Blue Cheer, Wolfmother and classic heavy rock!

Less than a year since they formed, Berlin power trio Wedge are releasing their debut album via Italy's Heavy Psych Sounds label. This self-titled platter finds the sweet spot where rock's convergent forms meet to share beers and a spliff, and ask “how're ya doin'?” On listening, it would seem psych, classic, blues, heavy, garage, metal and proto-punk are all doing fine.

Opening track Easy Chair is nowhere near as laid back as the title suggests. Instead it's a drummer's tour-de-force lightened by a lyrical vignette that's worthy of The Who circa '66. This twisted coming of age tale over riff-driven, psychedelic rock is broken up by a more introspective, Doors-esque mid section that's all the better for its sumptuous electric piano.

Looks 'n' Savvy is a swaggering garage-rocker reminiscent of Jet (remember them?), The Datsuns and other new rock revolutionaries of the early noughties. Whereas Makeyerselfree comes on like Oasis covering Stairway to Heaven (it's better than that sounds, believe me!)

For most of their inspiration however, the band look to heavy rock's late '60s/early '70s heyday, as evidenced on '61 SG (see video below), their ode to Gibson's classic guitar and weapon of choice for hard rockers from the '60s onwards. Judging by the tracks on their album, this particular SG is in worthy hands.

The band are touring in Germany throughout November and December in support of this release. If you get the chance go show some love.

Wedge are -

Kiryk Drewinski – Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

Holger “The Holg” Grosser – Drums & Percussion

David Götz – Bass, Organ, Electric Piano & Mellotron

Click here for more on Wedge.

Click here for more on Heavy Psych Sounds Records.

Infernal Overdrive - Last Rays Of The Dying Sun (Small Stone Records 2012)

 Debut album of classic rock riffage from New Jersey's hard rocking quartet.

Having recently reviewed a couple of their releases for www.audioscribbler.co.uk, I've recently become an admirer of Small Stone Records, a record label that's based in Detroit, Michigan. Home to an ever growing roster of classic rock, hard rock, blues rock, metal, and stoner rock bands, they're purveyors of a sound that wouldn't cut it with your Shoreditch fashionista but has a loyal and discerning worldwide audience. Defiantly anti-fashion, it's a label that does what it likes and likes what it does.

I also like the label's tradition of fantasy fuelled album covers. Each illustrated cover harking back to hard rock's golden era, usually featuring some sort of mythical beast emerging from the earth, sky or sea to endanger the lives of your humble rock band and fan. The cover of Last Rays Of The Dying Sun, the debut album from New Jersey's Infernal Overdrive is no exception; a horned, winged, red-skinned monster/devil peers over a hillside, his fiery tongue merging with the road on which our hapless heroes travel along in their souped up automobile. The inside sleeve shows a burning road sign declaring it “Route 666”. Crikey! Shall we go for a ride then?

Click over the jump for more on Infernal Overdrive