Black Magic Six are labelled as garage punk, but it has something that little bit extra, don’t be fooled by the brutal blues title, it has no connection whatsoever. Formed way back in 2006, and beginning this album proper with ‘I Hate People’ is like listening to the MC5 on speed. BMS are quirky and definitely a little eccentric. The highlight I can hear is the guitar fuzz and a Rickenbacker bass, a funky bit of bass that is. BMS are having so much fun, I am wondering if this is serious or is it just a big laugh to be honest.
When I mentioned the MC5 earlier, imagine that sound with the groove and swagger of Sweden’s Mustasch, then listen to ‘61/49 Clarksdale’. This is a major musical milestone for this album, before ‘Beaver Killer’ goes into a comical rockabilly pantomime. The guitar fuzz on the chorus hits the spot, but the guitars-less verses are a little tiresome. When BMS add this fuzz I have been going on about a few times, this feels like a juggernaut running through your head and I cannot ignore the intricate bass runs that remind me of some early Motorhead (‘Overkill’) work that result in giving the album flow a great kick in the arse.
Rockabilly or rocky horror show, ‘Homerun’ has it all, horns, flutes, female backing vocals and then ‘Biggest Ass In Town’ rears itself (no not your countries leader!). Ha, imagine cowboys, a hoe down with numerous jars of hooch, check sleeve shirts etc…it’s fun, more fun than musically rewarding in my book and I am in a good mood today! Whether this is serious or not, I don’t find much appeal to this album other than the stoner fuzziness. It is no where near as fun as the Macc Lads, but hey, it does a reasonable job.
(6/10 Paul Maddison)
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