In a world where things we can count on number less and less every day, I am refreshed as to what I grabbed on my latest office visit at Archer Record Pressing. There were times when I never thought I’d see this…the musical equivalent of a coelacanth or an Inverted Jenny stamp. Alas…a new Italy Records release.
Dave Buick has recovered from the shuttering of the Young Soul Rebels record shop (and occasional record imprint) and picked up where he left off with his seminal label in 2001. Man, was it seven years ago he released the Whirlwind Heat single?
Italy release lucky number 13 is the second Detroit-issued 7” by the Go in mere months, (the other done by a shady huckster with Polish Mafia connections and his hand in the pocket of the flexi-disc lobby) and proves they got the goods to seriously scare you.
I’ll admit right here and open up the argument…Bobby Harlow and John Krautner are the best songwriting duo from this city since Collins and Kroha teamed up South of 8 Mile and Dog Butt publishing. Yes, gasp in the grandiosity of the word. The Go are unrivaled as songwriters in this town and more people need to accept it.
“You Go Bangin’ On” hints at Beefhearty baritone barks, instead grasping a heavenly harmony that Harlow has already expressed his fear of having to recreate live. Marc Fellis steals the show here though…consistently underrated in this town for his drumming what he delivers here is so unflinchingly original and captivating that he gets the MVP award.
Flip is equally undeniable. “Maribel” (the entire first name of Detroit Cobras git slinger/brains Mary Restrepo for those keeping stalk at home) dabbles in Krautner’s bubblegum fetish with equal debt to the Beatles and Tommy James and other Sixties pop staples. “Is my teasin’ to your pleasin’?” is warmhearted wholesome lyric brilliance. This one definitely sounds like you’ve heard it before…touchstones your brain can’t specifically place turn into watermarks of songcraft.
This is the first smash hit of the new year. You need this. Never mind the pink on the Italy label is a darker hue than of years past. Never mind the band getting their name in their own personalized font on the label (a new step for Italy that lends it’s look to an early 70’s psych single) or even the switch from the classic FuturaBold font is negligible (although noticed by Italy nerd-hards like me). Instant classic.
2 comments:
"You Go Bangin' On" is fucking fierce.
Ben, a stalk is a piece of celery. You keep stock of something.
Love, your 8th grade english teacher.
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