THE KONKS
Self-titled (Bomp)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Music that's as raw as I like my steak. The Konks do NOT worship The Kinks, as you might expect. They're too busy vandalizing their amplifier speaker cones with jagged beer bottles to worship anyone, really. Yes, it's loud and tattered, and you can hear those cones rattling in horror under the explosive assault of garage anarchy built up on the simplest of foundations: steady, slamming drums, fat, energetic bass, gritty guitar and dangerous vocals of questionable melodic accuracy. Nothing new, you say? Right, and when it's done badly it comes out like fertilizer stew. When The Konks do it, it sounds like an authentic 60s-era vinyl discovery of the best kind. Had they been there to record it in the mid-60s, "King Kong" would have made them legendary. Instead, it's a long-forgotten novelty tune by comedian Soupy Sales. Oh well. The originals, which make up all but two of the selections here, are every bit as vital and authentic as the amazing thing they did with Soupy's song. The final track is the one that made me do a double take that caused painful whiplash. (Thanks, guys.) With heavy distortion saturating every decibel, The Konks knock out a smokin' and more than credible version of Aerosmith's "Let The Music Do The Talking," complete with a Tyleresque "Yiyiyiyiyi!" scream. Lest you think that's totally out of left field, The Konks are denziens of Boston, Aerosmith's home. However, I'm not as sure about the Soupy Sales connection.

© 2005 - DJ Johnson