The SWAMP RATS
With covers of such oft-recorded songs as "Louie Louie" and "Hey Joe," two versions of the same Rolling Stones song, and only two originals among the 13 garage rock tracks, this album probably has only limited appeal to people who aren't die-hard fans of the genre. If you are a die-hard fan, however, there's a good chance that you'll enjoy this collection of garage rock sides originally recorded in 1966-1967. The Swamp Rats' raunchy, fuzzed-out, speeded-up, Sonics-influenced rendition of "Louie Louie," sung by drummer Dave Gannon, is one of the better versions of this standard; their frenzied rendition of the Sonics' "Psycho" (included on Back from the Grave, Vol. 1), featuring Bob Hocko's out of control screaming vocals and a backwards tape loop ending, is even wilder; and tracks such as their innocent-sounding cover of the Beatles' ballad "Here, There and Everywhere," featuring lead vocals by bassist Paul Shalako, demonstrate that the band could do more than sneering fuzz-punk. Furthermore, their two originals, "I'm Going Home" and "Hey Freak," both hold up well; the latter song is highly recommended to fans of '60s garage punk at its most intense. [AMG]
Pittsburgh’s top 60's garage punkers [ex Fantastic Dee-Jays] with their hard core versions of The Sonics standards "Psycho" & "Louie Louie", Sparkles "No Friend Of Mine" and original "Hey Freak", will have you on yer knees. Garage freak-out! Dig!
