SUNDAY DRUNKS - 'On The Prowl' CD PRESS

SCANNER (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
The debut album from this tempestuous Texan trio seemed a bit inhibited and a tad conservative to me. This follow-up is a totally different bag of THUNDERS' riffs! From the opening 'Here To Stay' to the belligerent closing 'Hey You', this is the sound of a band fuelled on pills and booze, employing every great riff that THUNDERS and ED KUEPPER never wrote and then churning them out with the arrogant, gum-chewing sneer of prime-time Garage Punkers a'la the LEWD. 'Hard Drinkin' Woman' and 'What You're Doin'' are perfect examples of THUNDERSisms while 'Just Some Fool' adds a great barroom acoustic guitar, not a million miles from THE DRAGONS or even the mighty 'MATS. Production is balanced yet raw. Another goodie from Dead Beat which, along with the LOCOMOTIONS disc, make a pair of corking Garage snot rockers.

UP YOURS (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Los Angeles’ DeadBeat Records has been an active player on the punkrock territories over the past decade and is still going strong with new releases and regular licenses for the US of European bands. Recently launched missiles from DeadBeat platforms are amongst other a second album by THE SUNDAY DRUNKS. These Dallas, TX boozed-up rawk’n’rollers are with “On The Prowl” at their second full album. I recall not being that impressed by their debut. Maybe I was too much fixated on The Mullens-connection as two of the 3 members have taken up this side-off project as a fulltime band since The Mullens actually called it quits. But listening to this new 12-tracker, recorded throughout several takes by –again- a former Mullen, Tim Stile, I must admit “On The Prowl” offers a fine selection of laid back, less frills, plain honest, liquor-soaked Rock’n’Roll. This brand of gruff-garage rock has just about enough soul running through its veins to have it both catchy and perky at the same time. The music of The SUNDAY DRUNKS and it’s main sources of inspiration speak for themselves, but it’s more the way their actual outcome turns out to be that makes it worthwhile tan the bands lack of perfection. Tracks like “Here To Stay”, “Kicked To The Curb”, “Losin’ Again” or “Just Some Fool” could have been on a posthumous Mullens recording and run on an uptight, pushing beat. With 2 former Mullens members inside the skilled knowhow, the musical background and the craftsmanship to lay down the right hooks and paste the appropriate riffs is a major bonus for THE SUNDAY DRUNKS. Throughout the selected tracks it seems as if now ultimate use is been made of these advantages. Allthrough the major lot of the tracks a dual influence is omnipresent being a R. Stones-alike guitar riffing on one hand while, when things get a tad little more up tempo, an Australian romp occurs (Radio Birdman, Hoss, God, PowderMonkeys). As I recall from reviewing THE SUNDAY DRUNKS debut I had to give them then a second chance. With “On The Prowl” the band delivered fine resulted and took that chance by pulling off a neat set of raw assed yet infectious but still melodic garage rock n' roll mixing the best of New York Dolls, Radio Birdman, early R. Stones, Chuck Berry into power built car running on fifties R’n’R horsepower. With their second album THE SUNDAY DRUNKS can easily measure current acts like Tyler Keith and The Preachers Kids, the Forty Fives or The Compulsive Gamblers.

GO METRIC (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
By the book Heartbreakers-esque material with a good, strong guitar sound. While hardly ground breaking, I in no way find this displeasing. They sound like they'd be alot of fun to see at 1:45 in the morning on a weekday night at some smelly bar.

FLYING REVOLVERBLATT (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Dies ist das zweite Album dieser texanischen Band, in denen bekanntlich ein Grossteil der vor einer Weile aufgelösten Mullens aufging. Inzwischen sind sie auf ein Trio geschrumpft, was zu keinerlei Einbußen geführt hat. Ich möchte fast sagen, das Gegenteil ist der Fall. So fand ich das Debütalbum mit seinen hervorragenden Old School Punk Songs leider etwas dünn, das mag zwar an der Produktion gelegen haben, aber dieses Problem stellt sich jetzt nicht mehr. Die Sunday Drunks ziehen ihre Inspiration aus dem Punk und Proto-Punk Sound der Siebziger und erinnern mit ihren Songs an eben solche Bands, wie DMZ, Heartbreakers oder Real Kids und auch Flaming Groovies oder Rolling Stones, die ihrerseits ihre musikalischen Wurzeln in altem R&R fanden. Herausgekommen sind unglaublich rockende, groovende Tracks die die Leidenschaft spüren lassen, mit der die Jungs ihre Musik machen. Dabei kümmern sich die Sunday Drunks nicht die Spur um Trends, sondern machen das was sie am besten können. Zeitlosen dreckigen amerikanischen Rock´n´Roll und auch wenn sie hierbei nicht so ungestüm wie etwa die New Bomb Turks sind, so erinnern sie in ihrer Attitüde allemal an sie cc

NO BRAINS (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Mind blowing 77 style glam punk'n'roll from Texas. Songs are supercool, catchy angry and rockin' - just the way I like. Great vocal! Well if you like very early GG Allin, Real Kids, early punk and proto punk stuff, you will love The Sunday Drunks. "On The Prowl" is great album - all 12 tracks are simply super and loaded with great riffs. One of the best punk albums I heard lately. I really can't choose my faves, but you definitely have to hear these great tunes: "Here To Stay", "Always Home", "Hard Drinkin' Woman", "What You're Doin' ", "Sunday Drunk", "The Possum", "Gimme A Chance" ...

ASSERT (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Great drinking beer rock & roll from the state of Texas. The name says it all, I love being drunk on Sunday!!! These guys have all played in well known rock bands around the state of Texas so this band knows what's going on. At first I was so so on this 3 piece , but after a second listen or so I have started to chill out a little more to them. Good band to check out if your into good beer rock and roll.

ROCK N ROLL PURGATORY (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
This sounds like early punk rock (lots of Stooges) mixed with a just a dash of Southern flavor (CCR), and it really works. Formed originally as a side project of members of the Mullens, thankfully the Sunday Drunks are taking the driver’s seat. Damn good rock’n’roll for porch drinkin’in clothes stained with barbecue sauce. - BL

SHREDDING PAPER (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Even if they don't own a pair of Cuban heels among them, the Sunday Drunks lay down a dozen rockin' and rollin' tracks that'll have the whole bar howling for more when they're over. These Texans prove (like the Jonses and the Humpers before them) that they don't need platform footwear to stagger down the same great party path as the Dolls. Right on!- Lily

LOW CUT (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
This is the second full lenght sizzler from Dallas rocksters The Sunday Drunks, and its fistfuckingly smack on, in a delicious no shit Ramonesque kinda-style. A little over half an hour of speed-induced straightschool Texan rawk, with no boring artschool-pretensions, no half-assed neo-garage blingbling, and probably that's why they never will find their way onto any radio station in any bad-ass neighbourhood near you. But somebody should invite them over here, something tells me they rock live!

RAZORCAKE (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
When bluesy punk is done right it can be a beautiful thing, and these guys most defintately do it right, managing to reference the Stooges, the Dolls, the Heartbreakers and the first Damned album without sounding either dated or like worshippin' geek clones. They stomp and swagger with the best of 'em and crank out one blues encrusted tune after another, and leave you wantin' more. Good stuff. (Jimmy Alvarado)

SMASHIN' TRANSISTORS (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Well well well. 2 Dead Beat Records CD's this month and their both winners. Me personally, I'm too hung over on Sunday to even think about getting drunk. Hell, I can't even roll a doobie so Sundays in my house consist of bong hits and blues but I think I could find space in my Sunday rotation for these guys. Once again thank you God for Texas! Bits of the Hot Pockets float to the surface in this muddy Tejas arroyo and I like it. (BB)

MAXIMUM ROCK N ROLL (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
I've been a Sunday Drunk on more than one occasion- for these guys it's a lifetime calling. The SUNDAY DRUNKS are preoccupied with loose drinks and bad women, it seems, and back it up with a sorta NEW YORK DOLLS-y blues-ish 4/4 rock n roll beat that has a boy next door on Unemployment quality to it. I'd hesitate to call 'em an out and out punk rock group. There's more of a hammered REAL KIDS influence here, minus the sensitive, thoughtful weepy mournful aspects. The singer sounds like Gun Clubs's Jeffrey Lee Pierce during unguarded moments, but any resemblance is probably only coincidental.

HIGH BIAS ZINE (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
It does my twisted little Texan heart good to know there's a band like the Sunday Drunks prowling around the Lone Star State. The Dallas-based Drunks, who grew from the ashes of the much missed ne'er, e'er-do-wells the Mullens, sound a lot like Johnny Thunders if he had a keener pop sense and grew up with a Texas twang. That's not to say the band is overly derivative, mind you, just that the trio has as much a sense of rock & roll history as it does a panhandle's worth of snotty attitude. Don't worry, though; these guys will be happy to buy you a beer after they knock your sorry ass into the dirt. (Michael Toland)

ODYSSEY ZINE (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Wow! The Sunday Drunks sort of hit me out of nowhere a year or more back when I first heard their self-titled debut. They're a fantastic no-bullshit rock band that's heavy on the Chuck Berry style riffs, a tiny bit of a honky-tonk twang and songs caught up in lots of booze and good times. This latest album is still packed with sun-baked, bluesy rock that made the first one so much fun, but the lineup changes have given them a slightly different sound. You might even believe it's a different band due to the vocal changes. The raspy, laid-back, Stiv-style vocals of Dustin Brickman are long gone and they're replaced by guitar player Lee Lazarine and his southern-style howling. I really can't give it much comparison, but there is a time or two that recalls the voice of a young GG Allin (back when the guy actually played good music). I mean that in the best possible way. The recording on this round is a lot rougher around the edges. It's louder and much rawer with a sort of live-on-stage crackle. The Sunday Drunks haven't failed yet! Everything's fine-tuned and firing on all cylinders. This is exactly what you want on a second record. One of the most endearing things about these guys is their apparent lack of shit-giving. You get the feeling that The Sunday Drunks will be playing and listening to this sort of stuff long after they cease to be a band. Make sure you pick up this one up. (Phil Hunt)

TOXIC FLYER (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Just totally insane punk rock n roll that's loud and fast with just that cool rock n roll sickness I love so much. Well the raw guitar punk rock n roll of THE SUNDAY DRUNKS will blacken your eyes with some pure evil rock n roll that have a HUMPERS, JEFF DAHL, CANDY SNATCHERS, (early) STONES, and NY DOLLS feel. This is just stay sick rock n roll with some mayhem. (BW)

NOW WAVE (Sunday Drunks- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat 2004)
Rip-roaring, soul soaked rock’n’roll – am I sick of it yet? …No, not when it’s this enjoyable. Although I am still waiting for the day when this kind of gruff-garage, rabid r’n’r gets past the genre’s lyrical clichés (booze, fast women, fast cars), the Sunday Drunks offer up enough catchy tunes for me to not nitpick. It’s fun, honest stuff here; their fierce playing more than makes up for their lack of perfection.

Time and time again, the music speaks the truth – you just can’t keep a good riff down. Chuck Berry fans will find plenty to dance to, and Stones fans will rejoice at the sped-up swagger. But as usual with the discs I like, there is something more happening here. Occasionally I hear some ’64 Beatles sneaking their way into a melody, and still there is another motif…one that I can’t put my finger on (or at least know by name). All I can think of is that some songs on On The Prowl bring to mind those semi-southern stomp/soul classics like “Old Time Rock’ N’Roll” (Bob Seger) and “Your Mama Don’t Dance” (Loggins and Messina). But whereas your parents could tap a foot to those songs as they watched you at the roller rink, these songs are more of a middle-finger up, hip thrusting, punked out, fireball attack that would make anyone over 40 blush.

Overall, I think it’s a well-built rock machine made from old parts. It’s got a muscle car exterior with a 50’s rock’n’roll engine. Doesn’t run out of gas from start to finish.
(REVIEW BY MARK HUGHSON)

UNCLE DAN'S HOUSE OF SMUT(Sunday Drunks--On The Prowl Dead Beat 2004)
When a great band breaks up, it's always a drag. That said, very rarely, such a split actually winds up fostering a slew of great music in its wake, leaving you wondering how much of a tragedy the dissolution really was. That's the way things have panned out for the Mullens. Since they fractured, the former members have gone on to do great things. Featuring Lee Lazarine and Rodney Baird, the Sunday Drunks present the next brilliant chapter of this anomaly with their new album, On The Prowl.

Fans of the Mullens will be thrilled to hear the Sunday Drunks are coming from almost the exact same place, musically. On The Prowl is filled with a similar brand of raw as hell yet infectuously melodic pure garage rock n' roll. Other reference points for their sound include the Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, or anything Johnny Thunders related, period. The key difference in this band and the Mullens is the Sunday Drunks bring a bit more country twang to the music, without sacrificing any sense of brute force.

Still, like the Mullens, the Sunday Drunks benefit most from being able to craft superb hook-laden tunes, without ever wimping out. In fact, On The Prowl bats 1.000, every song seemingly perfect to the point it makes your face hurt. Standouts include tracks like "Always Home" and "Kicked To The Curb," for their ability to turn the swagger up a notch and really burrow into your consiousness. Add "Back To The End" to that group, as well--the twangiest of this batch boasts some nice steel guitar during the lead section. All three of these tracks should very much appeal to Tyler Keith and Dexateens supporters.

Another Mullens offshoot, another essential score. On The Prowl turns out to be one of 2004's best, thusfar. If you find one second of what the Sunday Drunks do on this disc dissatisfying, there's a good chance you don't love rock n' roll the way you thought you did. A complete and total winner.

SLEAZEGRINDER (The SUNDAY DRUNKS- On The Prowl CD, Dead Beat)
From the heart of Texas – a whole STATE fulla Sunday Drunks – comes this power-trio of ex-Mullens dudes, in a sophomore offering of pure, wood grain, 200 proof drunk n’ roll. The SDs have a simple (it has to be, when ya can’t quite see straight), but effective formula, that goes something like 30% Stooges riffs +35% cowpunk +35% Replacements-style roots rock = 100% rock action. Approximately, I mean. It’s not rocket science. Umm, so they take all that and brew it up into a lethal cocktail, toss in some lyrics about girls and booze (and boozy girls, natch), and they spew it up with bloozy abandon. Lead drawler Lee Lazarine has this great sloe-gin delivery, where the words just fall outta his mouth, ya know, yet he still sounds sincere, like he’s been trying to talk his way out of bad trouble all his life. And he probably has. Anyway, it’s a rollicking trip through sawdust and tears here, and even tho there’ s only one real gutpunch of a punk n’ roller on deck – closer “Hey You”, which reeks of 70’s Noo Yawk junkie-punkdom- the rest is a flagrantly cock-eyed display of Texan rock n’ roll, perfect for getting in trouble too, or at least getting someone ELSE in trouble. Somebody say ‘Yeehaw’, willya?