 The Stilettos - www.stilettos.nl
StimulusBlackBoxResponse (released 2007)
Tocado Records - www.tocado.com
This is the Stilettos, (note one 'l' not two). I had originally thought, "Wait a minute, one of the first bands Debbie Harry was in was called the Stillettos (note two 'l's)." Whereas the early 70s Stillettos played a campy styled early punk with Fred "Sonic" Smith in the group, the Netherlands based trio The Stilettos plays stripped down punk n roll. It's basic rock n roll, not basic in primative, just loud and edgy, honest and brutal punk with a Stooges style attack. Mix in a measure of roots rock with the band's assult on stripped down rock n roll and you've got the Stilettos. This album reminds me of the fury of the Spunks, with the danacability of the Hives, but with a raw exciting output, only found in underground music. The twelve tracks on this album, all chime in in under three minutes, most under two minutes. You get the point...fast, upbeat, aggressive and just plain fun. I mean everytime I put this album in the player I couldn't help but to bounce around a pump my fist. I'm not sure what the subject matter was on every track, but with song titles like "Walk Away", "Stop Dragging Me Down" and "Step Child"...I got a pretty good idea. Everything on here is in English, so it's not as though I couldn't understand...I just wasn't paying attention as the lead vocals are just like another instrument in the band's arsenal. How can you say no to a band that incorporate the harmonica into a couple of tracks right next to a Strokes or Hives styled guitar mashing? This is a very fun and jumpy release, that will enlighten fans of proto-punk icons The Stooges to today's fans of The Spunks. Hell, anyone that's a fan of garage rock with blues and and roots rock influences will find this a great addition to their music collections... I know I do! -MG |
