| THE
LOCOMOTIONS- S/T CD PRESS
UP
YOURS (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Also coming from DeadBeat Records is the cd-release
of debut album by Swedens LOCOMOTIONS. This license from the earlier appeared
vinyl version on Alien Snatch offers one of the current main features
for Martin Savage. Allthough he actually didn’t make it with this
LOCOMOTIONS line-up to the announced gig at The Pits, it seems like the
bands is actually still running. Being familiar with the many musical
roles M. Savage has been in and still is in, his whereabouts in THE LOCOMOTIONS
makes no exception as to the constant factor : frantic, wild and dangerous
Rock’n’Roll. The self titled cd on DeadBeat brings the full
Dubious recording session (which was released as 12 tracks vinyl on Alien
Snatch Records), but also 2 tracks from an earlier 7” on their own
Savage Records. All tunes breath out that East Coast feel which was made
famous by Real Kids, New York Dolls, DMZ, Nervous Eaters, The Dogmatics
(from whom The LOCOMOTIONS even cover "Saturday night again")
and –allthough they were from Toronto, Canada- why not Teenage Head.
So you get a wholee stack of well written tunes and songs with fitting
riffs, jagged, infectious guitar licks, shakin’ drums and rumbling
ravers, where the drums are set upfront. Apart from the Dogmatics tune,
the picking of Carole Kings "The Locomotion" may come as an
obvious one since the band got it’s name from there; but there’s
also "Headlights on" by The Dirtbombs, done in brilliant smash-up
melodic style. “The Locomotions” is a 14 blast appetizer for
those who yet have to encounter the relentless career of M. Savage for
those familiar with the dude’s ongoings it’s a real impressive
treat mixture of high energy R&B, raunchy power poppunk and pure,
volatile Rock’n’Roll.
GO METRIC (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
The Locomotions bash away like nutjobs, hitting
their acme with a bitchin instrumental called "Sigma Attatck"
and pummeling back to earth with covers of "Under My Thumb"
and, unfortunately, "The Locomotion." It sounds like beer may
have been involved somehow. Worth it! It's got a photo on the front of
singer Martin Savage sticking out his tongue! Like Bruce Springsteen,
they have a song called "I'm On Fire."
Unlike Bruce Springsteen, they seem to be from
Sweden.Wilkommen!
FLYING
REVOLVERBLATT (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Diese aufhorchend lassende Band, entstammt dem Dunstkreis
des schwedischen Savage Fanzines / Labels. Dieses ist bekanntermaßen
eine Bibel für Freunde des dreckigen Garage Punks und somit Freunden
von Veröffentlichungen von Labels wie "In The Red", "Estrus"
und "Crypt" wohlbekannt, obwohl ich glaube, dass es dies gar
nicht mehr gibt. In jedem Fall gibt es das Label, welches ab und an mit
tollen Platten glänzt. Martin Savage selbst, selbst zeigte sein Können
in verschiedenen Bands, wie etwa den sehr coolen The Blacks, den Dixie
Buzzards, Tokyo Knives oder The Chingaleros. Nun tat er sich mit zwei
Leuten von den Sons Of Cyrus zusammen, und bescherte uns diese Band. Danke
schön! Anhand der genannten Referenzen, dürfte die Fahrtrichtung
dieser Band erahnbar sein. Dynamischer, dreckiger Garage Punk mit Einflüssen
einerseits über die New York Doll und den Real Kids bis zu andererseits
The Oblivians und The Drags – also viel Rhythm & Blues, reduziertem
Garage Rock und verstörendem Punk Rock. Gecovert werden die Dirtbombs
und die Dogmatics und das namensgebende "Loco-Motion". cc
ROCK N ROLL PURGATORY (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
I really like this band! Raw, unpolished, unapologetic
rock that’s kicking my ass here. Thirteen tracks plus a hidden track
(Little Eva’s “Locomotion”) that are all good from beginning
to end. Including the hidden track, there are 5 covers including “Under
My Thumb” which is my favorite Stones song. But who do these guys
remind me of, so you can get an accurate description of their sound? Curses!
This is the worst part of writing a review, I can’t think of who
they remind me of. Okay, they sound like maybe the Stooges; you know that
balls-out sound? Sorta garage, sorta punk. Just get it, you will like
it. –Lisa
SHREDDING PAPER (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Originally released by
the estimable Alien Snatch label as an album-only release, the debut LP
from Swedish Garage mainstay Martin Savage's latest outfit has finally
made it's way onto the shiny metal disc with a long gone 7" tacked
on for good measure. Unpretentious rock n roll played just for the fun
for it withough regard for fasion (ie. no white belts here). Anyone who
missed out the first time around shouldn't make the same mistake again.
(David)
SMASHIN'
TRANSISTORS (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Ok
let's write all of my reviews again thanks to the shitty enhanced CD that
hijacked my explorer window (see Smut Peddlers review) These guys come
at you like a punch knocking out your favorite Misfits ex-lead singer.
Twangy guitars aplenty make this Jack Saints-esque record a for sure winner
with my neighbors on my ever so loud stereo and it damn near blew my tweeters.
I pushed the volume envelope with this one. (BB)
LOW
CUT (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
THIS
SHIT IS HOTTER THAN A PRISON BABE IN A JACK HILL FLICK! In-ya-face shitraw
punkrawk not unlike some unreleased gem off Crypt or Ripoff Records. This
sensational Stockholm 'all star' group consists of singer/guitarist Martin
Savage (Black, Dixie Buzzards etc.) plus Loco Lopes & Topi The Kat
of Sons Of Cyrus, and they sure mean business, DAMN STRAIGHT! The Locomotions
is the best new combo I've heard in years from Sweden, every track of
their debut album totally rips. The songs are mostly fast and wonderfully
frantic but some like "Stockholm City Girls" has that timeless
Real Kids feel. And just you wait till you hear their delirious take on
Dirtbombs' "Headlights On", class all the way. Positively the
best album I've heard for this issue, believe me, it's so good it's fuckin'
ridiculous!!
X2RNR
(The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Holy
fucks and monster trucks, this ones a doozy (pronounced with Fargo accent
please). Seriously though, it rips, it roars, it spits and hisses. Haven’t
heard anything this good since the first time I heard the Henry Fiats
last release. Goddamnit man, I really love this thing. Martin Savage and
the gang deliver a full bodied taste of rock n’ roll. Think equal
parts Dead Kennedys, Crime, and a half shot of fuck you yuppie fuck. I
do believe I’m in love. (MG)
AMP
MAGAZINE
(The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Originally
released on Germany’s Alien Snatch Records over a year ago, this
debut Locomotions album has been a sleeper favorite for me. While it didn’t
initially grab me, I’ve grown quite fond of this album. On the short
list of Swedish bands that aren’t cock-rawkers, The Locomotions
are a bit of a departure for Martin Savage, a front man often found in
primitive garage bands like THE BLACKS or DIXIE BUZZARDS. The Locomotions
play great, fuzzy punk that makes you move. Glad to see that this is getting
a wider domestic release, as it’s certainly worth checking out.
(MC)
DEEP
FRY BONANZA (The
Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
One
of the things I love most about Killed by Death-era punk rock is that
no one had quite figured punk out yet. Whereas nowadays it takes a true
visionary to take punk's now-tired formula and snatch something new from
it, back then the only guides were the adjectives "loud" and
"obnoxious." Consequently, you got groups as diverse as the
straight ahead, Stooges-influenced Dogs, New York's highly theatrical
the Mad and the anything goes craziness of Tapeworm. It'd be a stretch
to say that anything went in punk rock, but I'm pretty confident that
a hell of a lot more went then than goes now.
Stockholm, Sweden's the Locomotions are a throwback to that era when
a straight-ahead rock and roll band could drop some weird, prog-ish effects
on their instruments (as the Locomotions do on "Sigma Attack")
and no one would look the other way. Nowadays people tend to forget that
in addition to "Ever Fallen in Love" the Buzzcocks also wrote
"Waiting for the Train," but the Locomotions are one of those
rare bands interested in exploring all sides of first-wave punk's artistic
legacy, from the inherently likable to the utterly weird.
That isn't to say, though, that the biggest part of this self-titled
release isn't filled with utterly catchy, energetic rock and roll songs.
In that arena you've got everything from the Lurkers-esque "I'm on
Fire" to the bluesy, Hives-ish "Stockholm City Girls" to
a brilliant cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb" that
takes the original and turns it into a quirky, almost bizarre new wave
song. Though they don't rest on their laurels, it's obvious that the Locomotions
have pop songwriting chops to spare.
Even though I've made so many references to obscure punk bands and subgenres
throughout this review, the Locomotions aren't just interesting because
they sound so authentic. This self-titled disc sounds ambitious, passionate
and fully formed, three characteristics which are rarely united in an
old school-sounding punk record these days. In other words, if the Briefs
want more than anything to play alongside the Rezillos in 1978 England,
then the Locomotions are so oblivious to their aesthetic similarities
to a bygone era that they seem to be working under the assumption they
ARE playing next to the Devoto-era Buzzcocks in 1976 Manchester.(Daniel
Luptuon)
ODDYSSEY FANZINE (The Locomotions--s/t
CD, Dead Beat 2004)
The tongue-wagging photo on the cover may have
you thinking that this is another glossy Swedish cock rock band, but that's
Martin Savage (ex Blacks, Tokyo Knives), and this is grubby, off-the-cuff,
spazzed-out punk rock with some awesome drunken, screamed vocals. This
album pairs their LP on Alien Snatch with the songs from their "Tell
Her" 7" as a US release. It's full of great, clattering originals
with big singalong choruses and tons of crazed energy. Additionally, they
add some fun covers of the Stones' "Under My Thumb," "Saturday
Night Again" by the Dogmatics and "Headlights On" by the
Dirtbombs. They finish it off with a great version of the Little Eva favorite
"The Locomotion." I bet you didn't see that one coming. I missed
out on the original foreign releases of this stuff, and I'm glad I finally
got with the program. This is the best band I've heard out of Sweden in
a long, long time.
MAXIMUM ROCK N ROLL (The Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead
Beat 2004)
Abusive, tinny
cacophony. I listened to it while (insert domestic task) and the hours
simply flew by. The LOCOMOTIONS bridge the generation gap between the
GIZMOS frat punk and the modern day DOWN-SYNDROME- underfed and hopped
up on electricity. They've got a sound that I hear plenty of- but they
also bring a kinda underfed desperation that pushes them over the edge
into memorable, catchy tunes. Punk without the mohawks. Lyric-wise they're
not much more complicated than 'You Got Your Headlights On' or 'Baby,
you look so fine, wanna make you mine' etc. It ain't poetry, but if I
need poetry I'll turn to Merle Haggard. (JH)
NOW WAVE (The Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Martin Savage, previously heard by my ears
in the cut-the-bullshit-with-a-switchblade-rock’n’roll outfit
The Blacks, returns here with another chunk of rippin, screamin, high
energy rock. Whereas his former effort was a very passable, straight-ahead,
frantic fuzz-fest, this one kicks the R&B up another notch, just enough
to turn that punk snarl into head boppin’ smile.
“The American Fuse” and “Come and
Get It” are the effective one-two punches, and “Headlights
On” keeps the tempo up to satisfy the non-stop knee-jerkers. “Stockholm
City Girls” is a bit of a failed attempt at a party number, coming
in with an average chorus and overstaying its welcome.
The Locomotions put things back in, uh, motion with “On My Knees”.
A raucous delivery and a bouncy bass line come together to form another
smash. “Tell Her” is another highlight; I’m amazed at
how Savage keeps singing so loud and strong for so many romance numbers
(mostly of the “Please come back to me!” variety). Influences
come from many sources, but in the end the spin is genuinely Locomotive.
I hear a little lyrical rip from Hank Williams Sr., a Stones cover, and
the album extends a little more so we can hear an obligatory cover of
the oldies classic “The Locomotion”. After 14 tracks, you’ve
definitely got your fill.
There is a bit of variety to be found, and that’s ok. There’s
nothing wrong with having hits sprinkled throughout; it just means that
The Locomotions aren’t an express train. Rather, they stop at every
station, making sure everybody from all scenes (r’n’r, soul,
garage, punk) can get on. (Mark Hughson)
TOXIC
FLYER(The Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Just old school garage punk with just an evil edge of
rock n roll sichness that have the same amp kickin guitar bashing sound
of the MC5, Cramps, Real Kids, Cyics and 70's American Punk. This is just
garage rock n roll with a lot of punk needles and pink that needs to be
cranked up loud. At times, the Loco's have the same raw agressive sound
of those early Cleveland pun bands meetin the NY Dolls and looking for
a kiss. Also love the cover of Under My Thumb. (BW).
NOW WAVE (The Locomotions--s/t CD, Dead Beat 2004)
The Locomotions' self-titled CD is what resulted when Martin Savage (the
Blacks, Tokyo Knives, etc.) and the Sons of Cyrus’s Topi the Kat
and Loco Lopez realized they shared more than just a practice space. They
also shared a love of late ’70s Boston and New York bands. Think
the Real Kids and the Heartbreakers. The influence that most comes to
mind is the Sonics (sans sax and keys), probably due to Martin Savage’s
snotty adolescent squawk. The Locos play simple, tight, R&B inflected
rock n’ roll with punk abandon. Martin Savage’s guitar snarls,
Topi’s drums crash, and Loco Lopez’s bass keeps the whole
thing from lifting off. “Come and Get It” and “Stockholm
City Girls” are the real standouts among the scorching originals.
I also liked the instrumental “Sigma Attack”, which recalls
the tremolo guitar of the Lyres’ “I Want to Help You Anne”.
Another Boston band gets the treatment on a cover of the Dogmatics’
“Saturday Night Again”. The CD contains a couple of other
cool covers, but make sure to stick around for the unlisted fourteenth
track, a blistering version of “The Loco-Motion”, which starts
off pretty tame but by song’s end is racing along at breakneck speed.
(3 ½ out of 5 stars)---GimmeNoise
UNCLE DAN'S HOUSE OF SMUT
(The Locomotions--s/t Dead Beat 2004)
Martin Savage has been is a slew of highly regarded bands such as the
Blacks, Tokyo Knives, and Dixie Buzzards, on top of running his own record
label. So, what else is there left for him to do? Why, continue to bludgeon
listeners with more quality raw rock n' roll, of course. Along with his
two mates, both from Sons of Cyrus, that's exactly what happens on this
self-titled Locomotions CD. It's another impressive addition to that already
stacked resume.
The Locomotions do a fantastic job merging the rawest, sickest garage
punk rock n' roll imaginable with the hook-laden nature of power pop.
Imagine a blend of the Drags and the Real Kids--that will give you a fair
idea of what's going down on this disc. The results are infectuous but
unfriendly. It really is the best of both worlds.
Superb songwriting seals the deal for this debut Locomotions album. The
band are at their rock n' roll best on the handclap littered "Stockholm
City Girls." Their power pop slant especially shines through on gems
such as "Tell Her," "Make Up Your Mind," and "She's
Got Her." The Drags-ian nature of the Locomotions rears its head
most during "I'm On Fire" and "The American Fuse,"
which also stands out for its synth-injected new wave-isms and Lost Sounds-esque
moments.
As a band, you really couldn't hope for a better starting point than
what the Locomotions have come up with on this platter. If this disc is
any indication, expect even bigger and better things from these guys,
in the future. At the very least, a generally great album but, more than
likely, one of the best 2004 will produce, period. The world needs more
stuff like this--keep it coming.
SLEAZEGRINDER WEBZINE (Locomotions-
S/T CD, Dead Beat)
Straight outta Stockholm, Rock City, the Locomotions are a side-project-gone-right,
consisting of two members of shaker-maker psyche-garage groovers the Sons
of Cyrus and Martin Savage, main-man behind the Blacks, Tokyo Knives,
and Dixie Buzzards, among others. Seems they shared a rehearsal space
and a mutual love of the Real Kids, and you know how that goes, baby.
This manic blast of skinny tie punk has all the vintage flavor that Cyrus
are known for, just 15 years later than usual. Think the aforementioned
Real Kids, the Voidoids, and mebbe the Pagans, and ya got the sound here-
jumpy, pill-popping rock and roll with a dash of R&B and the spastic
herky-jerk of early new wave. "Stockholm City Girls", which
pretty much consists of a ramshackle Clash riff and lots of horny screaming,
is my pick o' the litter, but somethin' tells me you'll really dig the
beach-party freakout of "I'm on Fire" and the ragged, punk-ass
slur-fest of "My Heart is Alright" just as much. Hell, you'll
probably just dance around, drunk and happy, for it's entire duration.
Oh, and yeah, sure, there's a cover of "The Locomotion" here,
too. How could there not be, really?
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