Album Review: The Fleshtones, Brooklyn Sound Solution

The Fleshtones, <i>Brooklyn Sound Solution</I>. Photo / Supplied

The limited edition of this album comes with a DVD doco about this New York garage band. It's entitled Pardon Us For Living But the Graveyard is Full and that's apt, as the Fleshtones have been around forever (well, at least 30 years), and in all that time they have studiously avoided anything like polish or finesse.

Here they crank out B-grade rock 'n' roll grounded in Eddie Cochran, 60s R&B (I Wish You Would which the Yardbirds also covered) and ragged surf-rock (their bent instrumental treatment of the Beatles' Day Tripper). With Patti Smith's guitarist Lenny Kaye guesting (he compiled the Nuggets collection of raw garage band rock, also an obvious reference) they point themselves towards a dozen lo-fi, petrol-injected covers and originals heavy on desperate sounding and enthusiastically wobbly vocals, fuzzy guitars, occasional sax and cheesy organ, as well as 50s-grounded hand-clap pop.

At a mere 30 minutes it flies by, but regrettably little leaps out other than the poppy I Can't Hide, the slinky and simple Solution #1 (a nod to Sam the Sham and Peter Gunn) and the twang of the already familiar styles on Back Beat #1 with its Sandy Nelson/Wipe Out drums.

For a band that usually lets rip this also comes off as mostly very tame. Disappointing, despite the hyped-up and hilarious liner notes from producer Phast Phreddie Patterson.

Rating: 2.5/5
Verdict: Another but lesser instalment of trash can rock 'n' roll

- TimeOut / elsewhere.co.nz