There’s a garagey, bluesy, alternative thrust to the short and sweet opener ‘The Man’ that makes you think of some rather lofty names before the detuned, punky blues rock and roll mash of ‘Unemployed blues’ cuts in and you find yourselves nodding your head – this surely is what rock and roll is all about?
After 2 EP’s the Phringe Dwellers first full-length is a rather splendidly ramshackle live sounding mix of all those essential elemental sounds that make great rock and roll – from punky vocals to bluesy stabs and riffs and ladles of attitude. At times it can be short and sweet – like on the punky sub-two minute ‘Hard Labour’ but they cram a lot into the songs and when there’s always a new one on the way it’s all good.
If you like it down and dirty with huge energy and an anything can happen feel then these are guys you will want to check out. Sonically this sounds live but there’s some wonderful separation and clarity in the guitars and a nice bass-heavy foundation. I love the lack of polish and one take feel and at times you feel like you’re in New York in the mid seventies as they strike up ‘Van Diemen’s land’ before jumping into the almost New York Dolls-like “Magic Girl’.
Pick it up now, this is great.
