Various Artists
"Pebbles, Vol. 12: The World"
(Bomp)
Here's a vintage garage rock collection for you. It has all the trademarks of classic sixties garagismo, that is, fuzzy sounding guitars and adolescent vocals from obscure bands that sound like they made their recordings only weeks after getting together. Basically these groups are obvious imitations of the Yardbirds, the Troggs, and all those other nasty English bands from way back when. The unusual thing about the groups on "Pebbles, Vol. 12" is that although all of these punky little bands sound either American or English, they're actually from other parts of the world. Yes, here we have the Bunnys from Japan, the Shamrocks from Scotland, the Henchmen from Melbourne, Australia, the Merrymen from Stockholm, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. It seems that rock and roll was quite the infectious disease back in the mid-sixties and Belgian bands like the Shake Spears were comprised of teenagers inspired by the same songs that were getting kids off in Akron, Ohio. For example, check out these Dutch punks called the Phantoms doing their raucous version of "Roadrunner" or New Zealand's Pleazers performing The Who's "Bald Headed Woman." One thing is for sure, you can't say that you're sick of these songs from hearing them too much. Listening to this edition of Pebbles is kind of like getting together with a distant relative who looks just like your brother. Strange but true, I know. Recommended cut: The artist known as Evariste performing "Connais-tu l'animal qui invneta le calcul integral?" or as we always say in English, "Do You Know The Beast Who Invented Integral Calculus?"
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.