Washing Others Away
It's summer, so naturally we need a new sound to match it. In steps The Mooney Suzuki. Picture yourself driving in the sunshine, laughing with friends, having the time of your life…and this is the soundtrack to that moment. Finally releasing their album over here in the UK, they have fresh and funky new songs which are bound to make your summer swing.
To use the age old phrase, “start as you mean to go on”, ‘Alive and Amplified’ quickly lives up to its name. The leading track ‘Primitive Condition’ immediately picks up the pace with its raunchy guitar riffs and catchy chorus. The album’s title track follows and has no trouble captivating your attention. Lead singer Sammy James Jr’s oh-so-cool vocals blend incredibly with the rest of the band warbling ‘I am alive and amplified’ in a manner that resembles the Scissor Sisters. I also can’t help hearing The Hives within the guitar of ‘Legal High’ and loving every minute of it.
‘New York Girls’ is easily one of the best tracks of the album. It’s the song that makes you want to get up and start dancing around like there’s no one watching. It oozes charisma from the band and really shows what they are all about. They sound like The Strokes, but happy. A brilliant guitar solo and quick vocal and drum interlude and I’m convinced this track has to be my favourite. However, ‘Shake That Bush Again’ provides stiff competition. It’s a rapid but spiky excitement of all the instruments in harmony to create an instant speed-punk/rock classic.
Coming down from the high of the previous tracks, ‘Sometimes Something’ slows down the mood to an honest song for a loved one. The whole air of the song suddenly takes on a country and western tone hybridised with rock influences and served with Sammy ad-libbing his way through the closing chorus. Though gentle relief from the album’s mastermind of noise is not what you were looking for, here you’ve been served it without realising.
Following the strange title trail, ‘Loose ‘N’ Juicy’ epitomises what the album aims to make you feel, “…do you wanna get loose and juicy?” And after hearing this song, of course you do. Enter the gospel choir to help with the backing vocals and ‘Praise the Lord’, you have entered the church of The Mooney Suzuki. But your sins aren’t forgiven quite yet. ‘Hot Sugar’ and ‘Naked Lady’ provide ample temptation and they are simply so good you have to give in and allow yourself to be sucked into Mooney Suzuki’s all powerful melody.
‘Messin’ In The Dressin’ Room’ takes you on a musical trip back through time incorporating the elements that have made many bands over the past four decades simply great. You can hear everything from The Who to Zeppelin to the modern punk and ska of 2000 onwards. This will be a definite crowd pleaser all round. With ‘Love Bus’ I’m sure I have heard the ‘Love Shack’ style intro somewhere before, perhaps in my dreams. [Or maybe in the song 'Love Shack'? –Ed] But the fact remains that if you are going to finish a great album it has to be with a great song, and this song is exactly that. Memorable, melodic, talented, it is the ultimate curtain call for this seemingly unstoppable new band!