FRENCH : Melodick /

ENGLISH : Maximum Rock&Roll (Review) / Maximum Rock&Roll (Column) / Now Wave /

GERMAN :

SPANISH :

Melodick Octobre 2003

Kevin K n’est plus de toute première fraîcheur ( 8 albums à son actif, une flopée de groupes ( SourJazz, Freddy Lynxx…) et de tournées) mais c’est ce qui lui donne la supériorité musicale sur pas mal de jeunes combos du moment. Pas punk rock pour un sous, KK plonge dans ce Rock/Pop, du milieu des 80s, proche de J.Thunders et apparentés. Un morceau comme « Leaving on a jet plane » a la puissance mélodique d’un « another girl another planet » des Only Ones ( oups !( i did it again ?) ma référence est un peu datée, ou de n’importe quel morceau de J thunders puisque je l’ai sous la main) et cautionne à lui seul l’achat de ce ep. Les Neurotic ne sont déjà plus à présenter. Les dignes successeurs de Gasolheads, copropriétaires de ce split prouvent que la confiance placée en eux n’a pas à en souffrir avec ces deux titres performants.

MAXIMUM ROCK & ROLL N° 245 October 2003

Kevin K and his boys dish out two sugar-sweet rock and roll pop morsels, the first an amazing original and the second a "better-than-the-original" cover of "Leaving on a Jet Plane". Apparently Kevin is an old timer who shared the stage with the RAMONES, JOHNNY THUNDERS and the DEAD BOYS. I guess it's true what they say about the kind of company you keep. I can't wait to hear the album. The NEUROTIC SWINGERS serve up two spastic fun filled punk 'n' roll tunes with the greatest of ease. You can tell this stuff comes naturally to them. They actually remind me of a more punk HIVES, especially in the vocal department. Good stuff. I highly recommend this records. (BM)

Maximum Rock&Roll Dec 2003 (Column)

  " Goddammit, I forgot I have to do my column today." I told Steve as I stuffed my face full of hot off the stove chicken flavored Ramin.

"What's this gotta do with me?" He responded.

"You love my witty and intelligent critiques"

"Dude, all you ever talk about is how you're boyfriends with some foreign band and how you plan on taking them to the prom. So gay. And you aren't even gay. You are just talking none sense"

"So, you're saying I should try writing in a new style?"

"Couldn't hurt."

*******

So here it is, the NEW and IMPROVED "Burning Bridges and Making Friends".

When I started writing reviews at Maximum Rock'n'Roll five glorious years ago, I was thinking to my self, "If there is anyway for me to find out where the action is it's right here, in the halls of greatness and amongst the archives of history." This gig was gonna send me smack right dab in the middle of the action. I was gonna be surrounded by girls, interesting people and at the very least, stacks of great records. So here I am, five years later, still walking these halls, still in awe of the archives, Pepsi in hand, wondering, "Where the hell is the action!?" I look to the non-existent swarm of females. Nothing there. I look to all the interesting people I keep company with; they are too busy watching the Kings game. The stacks of great records I have received over the years; though they are smaller stacks than I dreamt of, they are my only source of action these days. But in the end all that really matters is the records. As I sit here in my cold, unheated apartment, it's the action that's in the grooves of these records keep me warm. They keep my spirits up like gym socks as girl after girl stomps on my heart like a piece of chewing gum and I'm forced to be stuck on them forever more. They are the sound tracks of my treks to the store to get more and more Pepsi and cigarettes. They sum up my wasted days sitting home wishing the action was here with me making me a grilled cheese sandwich and maybe a taco. The power pop, the garage, the pop punk, the new wave. That's what makes it all worthwhile.

People ask me all the time what power pop is exactly and I can never fully describe it. I wanna tell them it's the music made for the guys in polka dot shirts and skinny ties who are still upset the Beatles ditched their suits. For the girls who are wishing they were Debbie Harry as they sing into their hairbrushes in front of the mirror. For the kids who were too cool for pop, and still needed some pop with their punk. That's what power pop is. But instead, whenever I am faced with that question, all I ever say is, "it's the kinda music that collects dust in the bargin bins at Amoeba until a few hopeless romantics like my self and a few others rescue them from their tombs of obscurity. It's the music of my people". Power pop is KEVIN K & THE REAL KOOL KATS and their split single with the NEUROTIC SWINGERS. Straight from the dustbins of history Lollipop records have given us two incredible bubble gum delicious tunes from Mr. K and co. For those of you who don't remember or never knew, Kevin was one of rock and roll's lesser known historic figures, sharing the stage with the RAMONES, DEAD BOYS and JOHNNY THUNDERS back in the day with his bands the TOYS, the NEW TOYS and ROAD VULTURES, he's still around and popping out classics. His raspy and soulful voice reminds me of the greater aspects of glam and bubble gum. He sings John Denver's "Leaving On A Jet Plane" like he means it. He knows where the action is. He had the action right there in his hands and she slipped away, but he got a great record out of it.

The NEUROTIC SWINGERS side is equally as impressive if not more so. They aren't nearly as sweet and warm, but that doesn't mean they are any less catchy. They know how to write a hook and they wear their influences on their no existent sleeves; the hay days of Crypt and Rip Off, the keyboard lines of the late 70's and early 80's power pop bands. They sound like the HIVES hanging out with the BRIEFS flipping through old issues of Cream and Sniffin' Glue. Their collars are flipped up showing the lipstick stains from the night before and all their glory. Their plastic sunglasses keep the cool for oozing straight out of their eyeholes. Their LP, "Artrats!" is more of the same only better. "Artrats!" is enough to make me forget about that whole freedom fries thing and extend my hand in friendship to these Frogs… err, I mean French gentlemen. One listen to either of these pieces of genius transports me to a place where the pinball is always free, the Pepsi is free, the girls are fabulous and everyone is well dressed. Find out what all the fuss is about... (Bobby Manic)

NOW WAVE October 2003

Lollipop Records’ latest split 7-inch spectacular teams French punk rock n’ roll diehards the Neurotic Swingers with legendary New York City glamrock troubadour Kevin K and his new partners in grime, the Real Kool Kats.

The Neurotic Swingers are modern-day keepers of the sonic and sartorial tradition once upheld by The Saints and Devil Dogs. Their last CD EP on Lollipop oozed sunglasses-wearing fuck-off cool and laid down the rock with the streetwise snarl of the Dead Boys, Heartbreakers, and Teenage Head. But quite frankly, their two tracks here just aren’t that good. They’re okay, but anyone who craves more than run-of-the-mill 70s punk isn’t likely to be blown away by either track. Quite simply, this isn’t the Swingers’ best material. The guitars crank, but where are the hooks?!

And so it’s Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats who steal the show here. Holy shit! Regular Now Wave readers are probably familiar with Rick Rose Rude’s many rave reviews (You still out there, Rick?), and here the ex-Road Vulture shows why he’s a cult icon. “Melody” is a glorious, supercatchy blast of trashy, poppy glampunk that recalls the finest work of the Trash Brats and Jeff Dahl. It’s fucking GREAT! Raw, dirty, no-frills rock n’ roll with a driving beat and a killer melody. What more can you ask for? How about a kick-ass cover of “Leaving On A Jet Plane”, the schmaltzy AM radio standard penned by my buddy John Denver? You hear that song played with some balls, and you gotta admit: it’s an awesome tune. Far out!

I can’t wait to hear more from Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats! And given their track record, I’m sure the Neurotic Swingers’ new album will be bad-ass too.