KILLER HEARTS – Skintight Electric

The debut EP from Killer Hearts provided a quick jolt of retro brilliance back in 2019. Taking the trashiness of the New York Dolls debut, the sheer drive of Dictators’ proto punk noise and a bit of extra oomph, its four songs were a fast and sweaty treat. The end mix made the lead guitars seem razor sharp, and the way the vocals seemed half buried in noise often made it hard to pick out the finer points of any lyrical concerns, but all things considered it was a great tribute to the world of 1970s proto-punks and hardened Stooges wannabes.

Continue reading

DR CHRIS & THE REDEEMERS – Devil In The Backseat / Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

When a band places a bottle of Makers Mark rather prominently in one of their promotional photos and advertises themselves as a blues band, chances are, you’ll get no big surprises when it comes to the kind of sounds they make. For Dr Chris & The Redeemers, the big twist comes from their location. This band comes well versed in the Texas blues, but deliver their rootsy grooves and Stevie Ray Vaughan inflected riffs from the heart of Adelaide. In terms of all round authenticity, though, they hit everything absolutely square on. Their debut release ‘Devil In The Back Seat’ is a superb piece of blues, which doesn’t so much present itself like the sound of 2021, but a brilliant throwback to 1990.

Continue reading