Despite their own claim that they “aren’t concerned with the image or having the proper haircut”, The Mainliners DO have the looks, and even a bit too much of a gloss’n’floss on the album artwork, which almost suggests just another bunch of contemporary garage wanna-bees, missing the actual point.
But, after digging a bit deeper into the content, you realise that they happen to be a more than satisfactory continuation of the Swedish garage-beat revival, started way back in the eighties by the likes of The Stomachmouths, The Crimson Shadows and followed by The Strollers and The Maharajas these days.
Actually, the thing about The Mainliners is that they manage to give the obvious mid-sixties influences a moderndaze feel, sounding kinda like The Hives, had they been able to deliver what’s called an “all killer no filler” album, with their growling front man Robert Billing, giving a run for the money to anyone … you name ‘em!
Even with the slower tunes, they deliver the goods all right, adding a bit of Animalisms in the opening title tune and Dead Man’s Hall, or the early punk aesthetics of the young Van Morrison in Loosin’ My Mind.
As from the second tune Sinkin’ Feeling, things start to cook with the Kinky riffin’, powered up with some Motorcity engines, and it continues with what you could call a commercial garage sound patented by The ‘Watchband, The Standells or The Remains, as heard in She’s An Overdose, or later in The Lonely One and Try To Bring Us Down, while Daughter Of Dimes might be the best the glammy bubblegum ever gets.
Robber Of Your Soul along with Crocodile Roll delivers some nervous freakbeat-ish frenzy, and it’s also worth mentioning that Ordinary Night could been the sound of the ‘Stones these days, if they were still having fun.
So, don’t let the shiny cover mislead you, this is mid’60s beat reminiscing at its best!
[Released by Get Hip 2005]
Be the first to comment