CD REVIEW: THE VOLCANICS – Oh Crash….

CD REVIEW: THE VOLCANICS – Oh Crash….
Citadel Records
August 2017
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8 1/2 /10

The Volcanics’ 4th album finds the Perth quintet at the top of their game – though they always have been on fire, never having released a dud.

Here they stick to their tried and true blueprint of garage rock turned up to eleven, with homage duly being paid to those who blazed the trail before them: The Count Five, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, The Stooges and Radio Birdman.

There’s nothing tired or generic about sticking to their ouevre – every song on Oh Crash…. sounds vibrant and pulsatingly exciting, and even on first listen their catchyness is so infectious that we’re handclapping, foot stimping, woo hooing and singing along with some Iggy-meets-Jagger moves thrown in for good measure.

Radio Birdman and New Christs frontman Rob Younger again produces, and again ensures that Oh Crash…. sounds crystal clear without losing their raucous sheen and feel of energetic spontaneity.

Guitarists Jesse French and Tommy Hopkins deliver fast and furious riffs and scorching solos, from the dancable Cryin Feet and the pinball AC/DC riff of Circle, singer Johnny Phatouros’s melodies and ways with words are irresistable on the likes of Natural In A Way and We Don’t, the rhythm section of Alex Megaw and Pete Acklin are an unstoppable force, especially on the juggernaut of Doubt, and Gordon Cant’s guest piano on Speed On The Track is perfectly Stooges-esque.

The Volcanics are amongst our finest. Surely they should be national treasures by now?

Category: CD Reviews