Up from the vaults of proper music history comes a new single from The Incredible Kidda Band from Harry and Friends on Last Laugh Records. You should know by now that if something is being rereleased on Last Laugh then it's a rare underground overlooked classic record that's been given a second life because it's freaking amazing and this single is no exception. Take the last half dozen releases I've heard on LL and you'd have the blueprint for garage scuzzy pop for the next 50 years, how can a gated up fuzzy distortion from the late '70s still sound new? I vowed I would never be one of those guys who started seriously digging and bidding on obscure (and pricy) singles like those grizzled vets on Terminal Boredum but this single has me second guessing about the incredible stuff that's out there. The stuff that deserves to be heard...but then Harry's done all the work for you, all you have to do is click on the paypal button.
A-Side's, "(Watch out) Thief" is a track off of their full length Too Much, Too Little, Too Late ...as well as the B-Side, so technically this isn't a rerelease but a period authentic pressing of two songs that SHOULD have been a single. But from what I've heard, I bet you could go through this entire album and press these off at 45. A box set of singles? I wonder what the source for this was then and if they had to master it differently for the higher speed? Either way the point is the music and this six piece is sounding super clean and crisp here, with just a hint of distortion, mostly an impressive amount of attitude and pop punk songwriting from Alan Hammonds. I keep reading a lot about these guys being a bridge between the punk garage and glam, but I'm just getting a ballsy kind of of energetic blues garage with a squealing brain ending solo. A kind of classic "It's All Over Now" Stones sound, raw and stripped down... you can hear the mic cranked up and Alan coming in and out of range, swinging around. A balance of almost snotty but more depressed with great effortless harmonies like they just stepped into the studio and this is take one.
What's the point of the future when stuff like this went overlooked?
B-Side's "You Belong To Me" has muted chords and big drum fills that give way to this more laid back tune. He's really piling on the soul and this can't end well. Alan's mixed back under this clear melody reminding me of a little bit elvis costello in his kind of nerdy-wanting delivery, singing about 'These rich kids coming around.' The guitar tone they're getting on both sides of this are just unbelievable... Alan sounds sincere and a little bit heartbroken while this tough garage trash rock is happening all around him.
Why I'm just getting to this now is a real mystery except I feel plain stupid for not knowing about these guys sooner and also maybe to avoid being sad when I realize there's not going to be anymore of this...I can't handle it.
Get it from Last Laugh...who are putting out The Kiddas response to Saturday Night Fever ...should be enlightening.
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