Brian James: Chateau Brian
The legendary guitar slinger behind the Damned and Lords of the New Church makes his mark in the new decade. This album is filled with acoustic introspection and the skillfully crafted work of an extraordinary musician and songwriter. With a brilliantly executed bar stool meditation that embraces classic blues and edgy rock influences, the lights are dim and the feelings vibrate loudly. I hear anguish and loss among the ruins with a look towards the past and the present state of affairs in the heart of Brian James. I would say this CD exposes Brian James as the man, not the “myth”. It exposes his soul like a fine French wine. This old school recording contains tracks performed in one take, with raw and naked warmth. In the flesh and quite contagious in its delivery of sordid goods.
My fave tracks are : STARING AT ME, TRIPTINA, MOAN MOAN MOAN, and STARING AT ME
If you love acoustic JOHNNY THUNDERS then you will also LOVE THIS ONE! Unlike J THUNDERS we don't have to put our arms around a memory because BRIAN JAMES IS HERE TOO STAY! GO BUY THIS CD! – Mike Spent
POKER: Boots And Booze EP
Hot off the presses, this will ignite your senses with its flawless execution, original power punk-pop madness of the highest order. Like the perfect scissor cut, instead of a cookie-cutter clipper shave. I was getting my hair cut the other week, courtesy of a mysterious girl from Merced, and we discussed the drain of being born in a small town/city. The conversation flowed with a cool aloofness and after discussing how we both crashed into our current city, came to the sensible conclusion that people who willingly stay in the same predictable place in life have nothing to offer except misery to others. Change is necessary to get yourself out of a preset destination where you bathe in regret and bore yourself to death in a circle of self-deprecating thoughts.
What does this have to do with POKER? PASSION! The willingness to rock the fuck out like no one’s watching and ravenously embrace the unknown, like taking your last $100 and moving to a city you’ve never been to before, because there’s no way it’s any fucking worse than where you already are. This extreme passion come from the prodigious city of Rome and takes place on these 3 classic tracks with frenetic female vocals, catchy melody, and ear pleasing guitars of sophisticated highbrow sleaze. Imagine an amphetamine fueled Josie Cotton singing for the Sex Pistols with modern production and you’ll start to get an image of what lies ahead for you in this sabotage of the senses courtesy of White Zoo Records.
This EP will leave you reeling, kind of like the pretty rich girl that lets you stay the night, kicks you out the next morning, and tells you to call her after it’s dark. Lustful destruction wrapped up in the most attractive of disguises. It’s on limited vinyl, so get it before it’s too late. Just listen to the song I’m leaving you with and get obsessed. – Kevin McGovern
