Broncho's Hip To Be A Woman

Oakland outfit Broncho have just released their new album Just Enough Hip To Be Woman, and it’s eleven slices of slightly-reverbed, massively-addictive guitar rock in the self-effacing, humorous, garage-tinged vein. The staccato delivery of ‘Class Historian’ is instant hookworm material, that also bares some resemblances to The Cars (I goddamn love The Cars). ‘Deena’ stretches further back, taking carbon copies of 60s surf rock and dropping it into the hyperdrive of 80s synthesised synapse-eroding rock. 'Stay Loose' could be a Joan Jett cover done by Unknown Mortal Orchestra at half speed. ‘Taj Mahal’ is a young Finn brothers cast-off. Its this pastiche of rock evolution that permeates Broncho’s song deconstructions that makes their songs both imminently likable and eerily recognisable. It is so indebted to past “glories” at times that a clear personality becomes opaque – as much as I dig ‘Stop Tricking’ and especially ‘Taj Mahal’, I can’t shake the comparisons off. It’s funny then that the last three songs are so intent on blowing the speakers, the groove and growl suddenly at the forefront when most other bands would top-load these tracks. ‘Kurt’, ‘China’ and ‘It’s On’ blast forth with a newfound grit, set in sepia and leather – it’s here, as in the giddiness of ‘Class Historian’, that Broncho become a combustible beast in their own right. A strange ride, then, yet it’s hard to resist their charms.





Just Enough Hip To Be Woman is out soon on Dine Alone Records - buy it here.

Gonna Wash This Devil Right Outta My Hair

Im not sure if this was the intended purpose, and I hope Im not offending here - but when I heard 'Streaks Of Satan', the single of Texans Silver Shampoo's upcoming LP Higher & Higher, I immediately thought of one artist.

Suzi Quattro.

Yep, she of the leather clad, mulett wearing bikie punk fame. With her tracks like 'Devilgate Drive' and 'Can The Can', Quattro left her native US of A to the sunny climes of England, where she had most of her success (her duet with Smokie, 'Stumblin' In', is NOT part of the canon I speak of). She is probably better known in America for her recurring stint on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, and for spawning the likes of the Runaways and of course Joan Jett.

Now, Silver Shampoo aren't in the same vein per se. But there is a massive dollop of glam rock throbbing underneath the surface in 'Streaks Of Satan', the simplistic drums, the metronomic guitar lines, Paul Museums' spoken/hollered vocals, the call and response in the chorus - you cant feel more steeped in the 1970s if you tried here. And Im ecstatic that the band has gone down this road.

Higher And Higher is due out next month on What's Your Rupture? - Im really looking forward to this one!

Silver Shampoo - Streaks Of Satan