...REVIEWS !!
KAMIKAZES "Time for RocknRoll" 7"
LONG GONE LOSER #5 DEZ 2001: What can I say that isn´t perfect summed up by the title of this kickass seven inches of energy ? It starts out with the high-energy rock of the title track that had me jumping around the room in no time and keeps it going for the rest of the record. This first track of theB-Side " I wanna be with you" slows the pace a little with an awesome 50´s style sound and an almost folksy harmonica before launching back into the rock with the final track.There´s fast riffing guitar, great melodies, and what more could I you ask for in this day and age ? This is definately one you´re going to want to put through your stereo a couple of times.
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL AUG 2001.......fucking cool.....low-fi HUMPERS style with good fuzzy guitar pussy licks......I like............ Oh yeah, the second song is so good too.........good hooks.......some nice cock action going on here.........so where are these fellows from?????????......there's a German address on the sleeve.....hmmm, I wonder...side two is the balad......REAL KIDS....., for sure......but it's good...wait!!!!!....I hear an accent....maybe these guys are Germans.........fourth and last song is fist fucking heavy, fast RNR......makes you want to party!!!!!!....fuck some chicks, have a good time.....this record gets an A+, and that's rare for me......... (Shane White)
CHAIN-WHIPPED JAPAN #39 NOV 2001: Rock-n-Roll... the record player is not working properly, uncivilized really. My brother hooked up the car stereo so he knwo a few things about electricity..but the problems with the house record player arebeyond electricity. The sound comes out muffled and even with the stereo turned up volume nobody can move, the rustle of cloth even will drown out the sound. Irrevelant to these conditions. The KAMIKAZES are a wicked cool garage band. Perhaps the sacrifice is endearing..that´s hy taking this shit is essential to mental being..bad example
RAZORCAKE #4 NOV 2001 Well all right ! I´ve been waiting years to hear something new from these guys and thus sure don´t dissapoint. The tempo is less frantic here than on their "All Night Cram Session" but in its place is more swagger, more balls, and more flat-out boogie. These boyos don´t so much bring the rock as take it and pummel you over the head repeatedly with it. As an added treat, they even delve into the usaually dangerous land of ballad and pull out a nugget as memorable and catchy as the RAMONES " I wanna Be Around" Enough dicking around, guys. When is the album come out and the "world conquest" tour start ? (Jimmy Alvarado)
SHREDDING PAPER #10: Montreal Rock-n-Rollers finding thier works released by a german label, probably proof of the worldwide appeal of this brand of Garage Punk (or some such profound statement) The record ends up stumbling when it drops down a gear (" I wanna be with you") but otherwise sounds pretty good while it´s spinning on the turntable. Pressed on impressive 220g Vinyl as well ( probably capable of sever injury ifflung like a ninja´s star) (David)
CARBON 14 : Pretty original title, huh ? More refined than the other blues soaked titles reviewed by me here this time around. Better hooks and licks too ! This is the sweet sticky buds you find you find in that fat bag you just bought for the holidays. They will get you high, making you tense and jitter till you either start to fail in rock moves or shit your pants in awe. And yes, there is even a nifty slower number for you softies out there. (Phil.D.Ford)
UP YOURS, Nov.2000 Belgium: A couple of months later ALIEN SNATCH lived up to ones expectations by releasing a 4-track 7"s by Montreals KAMIKAZES. A band that, who's first 7" "All Night Cram Session" was allready a promissing, blistering debut, which true, die-hard punkrockers would instantly appreciated and rate ats it's essential value. No wonder Daniel ALIEN SNATCH picked these folks up. "Time For Rock'n'Roll" has 4 exclusive tracks ripping through the bars and pubs were THE KAMIKAZES generally dwell if they don't play. It's all charged and stowed actionpacked punkrawk larded with grease, fuel and DEVIL DOGS addoration. These Canadians have taken the best from their former counterparts, TEENAGE HEAD, added The REAL KIDS and DMZ, took a greedy sip from the DEVIL DOGS sources and set their unit into cruisecontrol. This 2nd 7" totally lives up to the created expectations by the bands debut and is indeed a terrific addition to the Alien Snatch imperium. THE KAMIKAZES are a unit that needs to tour Europe and alongside THE HIGHSCHOOL ROCKERS-if possible- they both might just crash'n'burn the Euro stages and highways.
HITLIST Vol.2 / Nr.4 Nov. 2000 : Snooty punk 'n' roll with some excellent guitar playing and a none-too-serious bad attitude. Although this EP was released on a German label, the KAMIKAZES appear to be French. In any case, on the A-side you get two rockin' blasts of the type you'd expect to find on a label like Junk, and two poppier rockers on the flipside that remind me of the REAL KIDS
MIRROR CANADA July 2000: Three slabs of high-octane Montreal rock'n'roll that're as greasy as a 7-11 hamburger, with a ballad worthy of the Real Kids. (Johnson Cummins)
MIKE MURRMAN COMPULSIVE ROCKNROLL August 2000: With a 7", you don't have much time to make an impression on the listener. On this thick-as-a-dinner-plate e.p., the Kamikazes go for the throat with a scorching FUN THINGS / DEVIL DOGS attack. They have studied hard, learning the key to a killer rock 'n' roll song is to keep the basic melody simple and catchy but load it up with well-placed hot licks, easy to sing-a-long lyric, throw in a few handclaps. Bam. However, these guys were obviously cutting school when the 2 1/2 minute lesson was being taught. The second song on the first side, "Ain't Coming Close," is good, but could be cut in half and have way more impact. Still, a good song. They also lose it on the Real Kids-style ballad "I wanna Be With You." Ballads should be used sparingly, and never on a single (unless it appears on the B-Side to a totally knock-your-socks-off A-Side, you know?). It woulda worked well at the end of the first side of an album or something. Still, the first song, "Time for Rock 'n' Roll,'' and the last song, "Friday Night" are the reasons to buy it immediately.
OX #40 SEPT 2000: Erstklassigen garagigen rocknroll hauen die KAMIKAZES aus Kanada auf ihrer konsequenterweise " Time for Rock´n´Roll" betitelten 4-Song EP ( ALIEN SNATCH) raus. Ich fühle mich an die DEVIL DOGS , ausgelatschte Turnschuhe und den Wunsch erinnert, mir gepflegt einen auf die Lampe zu gießen ! A FUCKIN MUST HAVE ! (sm)
3RD GENERATION NATION #20 OCT 2000: Mit den KAMIKAZES (was für ein cooler Name) ist jetzt aber endgültig der Knoten bei " ALIEN SNATCH " geplatzt ! Yes, das muß gefeiert werden, denn this record keeps me smiling ´! Vier neue junge Helden aus Canada bringen es volle Pulle, Alter ! Time For RocknRoll ? Ja, aber Hallo, und was für ein Brett !!! Daß muss man sich einfach auf der Zunge vergehen lassen. Ein einziger treibender RocknRoll Punk Exzess, wild abgedreht, auch mal schön schmalzig wie es bei " I Wanna Be With You" wunderbar zu hören ist, und ganz ganz wichtig, it´s not a cheap lofi-shit production ( thanks God !) Das ist einer der besten Rock´n´Roll Bands, dir mir in den vergangenen Monaten untergeschoben wurde. Get this on your record player so schnell wie möglich und dann Regler aufdrehen bis Kante !!! 5 of 5 Stars ( RRS)
BANZAI #8 July 2001Über die KAMIKAZES habe ich bisher nur im THE THING Fanzine gelesen, jetzt hat der Daniel eine Single von ihnen veröffentlicht. Musikalisch liegen sie irgendwo im rocknroll eingebettet zwischen den Särgen der DEVIL DOGS und der SPACESHITS. Der Titelsong spricht dir ins Gesicht und reisst dich einfach mit "Ain´t Coming Close" folgs als zweiter Bang, bevor das langsame " I wanna be with you" deinen Puls erst einmal wieder beruhigt. Für "Friday Night" müssen mal wieder die DEVIL DOGS mal wieder kurz zurückgekehrt sein, klingt ja schon sehr nach der Götterband. Ist j auch nichts schlechtes, oder ? Das lila, fette Vinyl macht die ganze Single nur noch sympathischer. Musik 2/3 Cover 2/3 Sound 3/3 Vibrationen 10/10 (ck)
CHOKE #6 NOV 2001: Wenn ich mich nicht irre kommt der vierer aus Montreal / Canada. Auf dickem Vinyl gibts 4 Songs. Den Titeltrack finde ich nicht mal so gut, besser ist da schon " Ain´t comin close" das auch von den SHUT-UPS oder DRAGONS kommen könnte. Richtig gut wirds dann auf der zweiten Seite mit dem Schmachfetzen "I wanna be with you" das man wohl auch auf einer 50´s Prom Night spielen hätte können, wunderbar ! " Friday Night" hat hingegen wieder mehr DEVIL DOGS Feeling. Abgerundet wird dieses gelungene VÖ durch ein flashiges Kartoncover.
Checkout the ones of the first 45 too, and pray to the devil to let you find a copy...
KAMIKAZES "In a All-Night Cram Session" 7"
CARBON 14 #15: I know what you´re thinking. The four guys photographed on the Cover - ostensibly in a dive titty-bar- don´t look like they´ve ever set foot in a dive titty bar. Okay, so the one guy looks like he´s scopin out some skanky ho´, but I don´t know what or where the HELL those other three are looking ! There´d better be some nsaty girl-girl action going on, in which case they forgiven. Actually they´re already forgiven because this four-track EP is a nifty release reminiscent of those delightful DEVIL DOGS. Which is the highest praise you´ll get ever see me heap on Canadians.(Danté)
ANOTHER FINE MESS # 7: A first release by a band, which might get picked up pretty soon by more known Labels and a band, which really deserves all the attention thay can get as these four tracks hit you big. That is if you got at least a few R`N´R instincts kept alive. A neat and smoothy running unit fueled up with the DEVIL DOGS /REAL KIDS drive, the rockin moves and swing from the hometown pals THE SPACESHITS ( just check out All-Night Cram Session " or " Sorry no request tonight") and a handfull of joker card to throw in along the way. The Kamikazes are an full-party combo, who know how to blast the ball and who all know what it takes to get joint swinging´ and shakin´allover. If they had told me The Von Zippers had been on a forced diest of Betty Page flicks and DEVIL DOGS records and came out as being some Montreal mutants going by the name of THE KAMIKAZES I would have believed them instantly. But hell no, it´s brand new, it´s only 500 copies and it´s worth every pursuit possible. Let´s welcome THE KAMIKAZES with arms wide open to our warm and selective R`n´Roll nursing home
CONTINENTAL #7 Coming from Montreal, this garage/punk combo has that Estrus Sound down pat. Great driving Guitars and screamed vocals with a boot stompin´ beat. Coming from the same scene as the universally acclaimed Spaceshits, this combo definately has abrigt future ahead of ´em. There are four cuts on this EP without a bad one in the bunch. I didn´t review this one for a while because I thought the Label name was kind of stupid. What a mistake - this is definately one of the best garage releases I heard in long time.
SOUNDFLAT´s Lutz: Biggest Surprise that I found in my PO Box lately. Full throttle punk´n´roll explosion by this french-canadian 4-piece ! Mix up THE DEVIL DOGS, LA DONNAS and THE TURPENTINES and press it on red wax. This is the first release of a promising new Label, so better start to collect it now ! All 4 tracks have power like roarr and are catchy as well, jeeeeeesuzz, need to play it again !
THE THING #202: Hey ! You´d better hide your beer, THE KAMIKAZES´ here ! 100 % punkrocknroll Action from Montreal/Canada. If you dig the DEVIL DOGS & THE SPACESHITS you´re a KAMIKAZE already ! If you don´t what the hell are you reading this fantabulous magazine, pigfuccker?? 500 pressed only of this ace-45. So, make it fast, make it for you own pleasure baby ! (Demetrius)
FLIPSIDE: Great, up-tempo Canadian punk rock ala RIP OFFS / INFECTIONS. On red Vinyl, to boot. According to a xeroxed piece of paper included with this is the label´s first releases. If they keep putting records of this caliber out, they´ll be raking in the dough in no time.(Jimmy Alvarado )
BLANKGENERATION: It came out last year, but I thought I'd review it anyway since their new 7 incher on ALIEN SNATCH is getting good feedback. When this originally came out, I sorta dismissed it as your typical Montreal 70's rock n' roll revival disc (there are quite a few bands from around here doing this sorta stuff, like Tricky Woo, Demolition and Smash Up Derby to name a few), but to be honest with you, this is a whole lot better than I originally thought it was. They borrow heavily from the DEVIL DOGS on here (as opposed to their recent, more power-pop influenced stuff), but mix it up with the overdrive buzz-saw guitar sound and snotty vocals of The BRIDES and come out sounding a whole lot better than most bands in the genre today. 4 cool songs on red vinyl, so check it out. (SA)