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The Windmill, Brixton
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Gig Review

Strange Boys/ Dallas/ The Snatch
London, the Windmill

Article written by Ged M - Aug 28, 2009

Ryan Sambol, Strange Boys

The Strange Boys are certainly a bit different; they play an hour and a quarter, smile enigmatically throughout but say nothing until, towards the end of the set, they ask if we like covers and then run through a flawless version of ‘Lodi’ by Creedence.

Their music is a compelling mixture of acid-psych and garage-rock (more like the former tonight), haunted by the ghosts of Buddy Holly, Howling Wolf, a lobotomised Beatles and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators. If Roswell is ground-zero for UFO nuts, Texas – Austin in particular – is the centre of psych-rock and the Strange Boys constantly show off lysergic emanations,little psychedelic curlicues that remind you of ‘Levitation’ by the Elevators or some surging hormonal garage shriek straight outta Nuggets.

Ryan Sambol plays acid guitar, occasionally freaks out when soloing but mainly stands, heavy-lidded, intoning songs in his distinctive Dylanish growl. The effect is quite hypnotic, sustaining the strangely opiated pace for well over an hour and sucking us all in. With new label head Geoff Travis and his talent spotters present, it’s clear that they see a great future for the Strange Boys and, on this form, so do we. But take a hint from their name and expect the unexpected.

Dallas is a three piece including James ‘Jam’ McMahon of the parish of NME. I might have been rude about the NME at this point but it’s good to see Mr M putting himself forward for criticism rather than critiquing. So here it is…they’re from Yorkshire but should be from Northern Ireland since the bands they most put me in mind of is a death-obsessed Ash or Therapy? They don’t avoid melody and for all their shouty, thrashy, amp-straining ways, deep down I suspect that they really wanted to be a boy band.

I catch only a few songs by The Snatch, but enough to enjoy their garage pop. Linzi Lizard is an energetic frontperson in her kitten heels and field marshal’s baton, which she uses for marching/ dancing with manic intensity. ‘Fallen Connection’ is a cracking tune, which a trip to their myspace page will confirm. Worth arriving early for next time.

Links:
http://www.intheredrecords.com/pages/strangeboys.html
http://www.windmillbrixton.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangeboys