Pre-punk, garage rock like the MC5 or the Stooges.

12 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Alt-Country, ROCK: Garage Rock



Details:
Montreal band Mon Electric Bijou's latest album If Blood Could Speak is a sleazy, unpolished, garage rock record that could have easily been from another time. I couldn't help but picture afros, dirty underground clubs and Detroit's Cobo Hall. That's because I pictured the MC5 when I listened to this album. (Track 3 "Optique Shov" sings the line "I try to kick out the jams" in homage I'm assuming to the MC5's classic 1968 live album Kick Out the Jams) The guitars are turned down low to get that raw heavy, stoner rock feel while the drums are constantly being pile driven into your brain where the only relief is the short break between songs. Except for the nonsense intro "Kissin Sweat", the first five tracks are the strongest on the album. There are some religious themes to the record with such songs as "A Taxi Called Jesus," "Abraham," and "God Walks By Your Side" but it's not an overtly religious album from what I gathered and I wouldn't put it in the religious section at a music store. The CD starts off strong but loses its way by mid album only to recuperate with the song "The Lone Killer" near the end. Still a decent record, If Blood Could Speak is worth a listen for anyone who enjoys pre-punk, garage rock like the MC5 or The Stooges.


Trent McMartin