THE DANGERMEN: THE DARK PLACE (REVIEW)
February 17th 2007 11:00
THE DANGERMEN
THE DARK PLACE
(2006; Merenoise)
RATING:
TRACK LISTING: 1) Heterosexual Superstar / 2) Surf Left Alright! 3) Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992) / 4) Twenty Four Seven / 5) Our Respect / 6) Khyber Pass / 7) The Dark Place / 8) Michelin Star / 9) Woke Up At Home / 10) Burnout / 11) Time Waster / 12) Suicide Girl / 13) Dealer Of Love
Chuggin’ down chocolate breakkas and chowin’ on barbecue shapes while they check out all the chick action (in their dicktogs or billabong shorts!), The Dangermen are here to show you what it’s like to be a south-east scumbag and mean it.
The Dark Place is their second full-length album of down ‘n’ dirty garage rock, recalling bands like Turbonegro, the Dictators, and above all, the Stooges. That pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit fuels the greasy wailing of Doctor Rock’s wah-wah action solos and Zoltane the Maniac’s lewd sneer; name-dropping everywhere from "Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992)" to Noosa Heads like some banana bending Chuck Berry or soulbrother to JJ Speedball. Brisbane needs more rock lyricists like Zoltane. He’s a charismatic yobbo: a gutter poet with enough insight and self-deprecating humour to charm your footie socks off even while he sounds like he’s constantly making fun of you. With backing from bassist Sven Switchblade and drummer Muchos Larmos that’s as reliable as an AGB, The Dangermen seem like they'd be good guys to blow the froth off a couple with.
The title track is a standout with its dark, surfy vibe complete with swirling keys from special guest Jane Von Danger; but the rest is fine ‘n’ trashy rock with simple, catchy songs and buzzsaw riffin’. “Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992")” is a nostalgic look at that particular locale, with a chiming pop-punk riff that reminds me of the sorely missed cherry rock of Scrumfeeder. “Twenty Four Seven” is bluesy and boozey and speaks of the life-saving joys of shopping at 7-11, backed up by some heartily hollered backing vocals. And “Suicide Girl” picks up the tail end with almost Dead Kennedys-style surf riffing and a hilarious plea for the song’s subject not to jump to her doom from various Brisbane landmarks like the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point.
The power here is in the unpretentious simplicity, and the unselfconscious way in which these guys bash out their scummy punk ditties that are as throwaway as an empty beer bottle, but played with enough conviction to make them as indelible as the skidmarks in your dad’s jocks. It’s music by smart guys who like dumb stuff, and makes anywhere it's played instantly smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke. I don’t know about you, but I find something incredibly comforting and romantic in that.
These hetero superstars aren’t here to reinvent the wheel (they’re proudly derivative and it all blends together after a while), but The Dark Place speaks of real, suburban experience and rocks (and rolls) with the best of them. Besides, any album that starts with the cracking open of a tinny is alright by me.
***
LINKS
My original review of The Dark Place can be found at tsunamimag.com
The Dangermen have a Myspace, just like your emo sister
IMAGES
The Dark Place
(album cover used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Merenoise page:
The Dangermen
THE DARK PLACE
(2006; Merenoise)
RATING:
TRACK LISTING: 1) Heterosexual Superstar / 2) Surf Left Alright! 3) Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992) / 4) Twenty Four Seven / 5) Our Respect / 6) Khyber Pass / 7) The Dark Place / 8) Michelin Star / 9) Woke Up At Home / 10) Burnout / 11) Time Waster / 12) Suicide Girl / 13) Dealer Of Love
The Dark Place (2006)
The Dark Place is their second full-length album of down ‘n’ dirty garage rock, recalling bands like Turbonegro, the Dictators, and above all, the Stooges. That pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit fuels the greasy wailing of Doctor Rock’s wah-wah action solos and Zoltane the Maniac’s lewd sneer; name-dropping everywhere from "Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992)" to Noosa Heads like some banana bending Chuck Berry or soulbrother to JJ Speedball. Brisbane needs more rock lyricists like Zoltane. He’s a charismatic yobbo: a gutter poet with enough insight and self-deprecating humour to charm your footie socks off even while he sounds like he’s constantly making fun of you. With backing from bassist Sven Switchblade and drummer Muchos Larmos that’s as reliable as an AGB, The Dangermen seem like they'd be good guys to blow the froth off a couple with.
The title track is a standout with its dark, surfy vibe complete with swirling keys from special guest Jane Von Danger; but the rest is fine ‘n’ trashy rock with simple, catchy songs and buzzsaw riffin’. “Elizabeth Arcade (Circa 1992")” is a nostalgic look at that particular locale, with a chiming pop-punk riff that reminds me of the sorely missed cherry rock of Scrumfeeder. “Twenty Four Seven” is bluesy and boozey and speaks of the life-saving joys of shopping at 7-11, backed up by some heartily hollered backing vocals. And “Suicide Girl” picks up the tail end with almost Dead Kennedys-style surf riffing and a hilarious plea for the song’s subject not to jump to her doom from various Brisbane landmarks like the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point.
The power here is in the unpretentious simplicity, and the unselfconscious way in which these guys bash out their scummy punk ditties that are as throwaway as an empty beer bottle, but played with enough conviction to make them as indelible as the skidmarks in your dad’s jocks. It’s music by smart guys who like dumb stuff, and makes anywhere it's played instantly smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke. I don’t know about you, but I find something incredibly comforting and romantic in that.
These hetero superstars aren’t here to reinvent the wheel (they’re proudly derivative and it all blends together after a while), but The Dark Place speaks of real, suburban experience and rocks (and rolls) with the best of them. Besides, any album that starts with the cracking open of a tinny is alright by me.
***
LINKS
My original review of The Dark Place can be found at tsunamimag.com
The Dangermen have a Myspace, just like your emo sister
IMAGES
The Dark Place
(album cover used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Merenoise page:
The Dangermen
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Comment by Kylar
I shall give this a spin.
Comment by Anonymous
cheers!
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
It's comments like yours that make this racket worthwhile.
Drop in anytime and word to speedball's mother.