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Oriphiel · 01-05-2015, 02:10 PM

Let's take a break from all of these albums. Grab your boards, because it's time to surf on another wave of EP Madness!

Gravest Hits

One of the most famous and influential underground bands to ever grace the stage, The Cramps have been around for quite some time, beginning sometime between 1972-1973 when vocalist Lux Interior joined forces with guitarist Poison Ivy. However, it was in 1979 that they began to make serious waves in the world of music with the release of this debut on IRS Records (which was recorded two years earlier, in 1977, and originally released as independently produced singles). While by this point their loyal fanbase was already in love with their wild live shows and endearing oddity, the rest of the world wasn't even remotely prepared for the Psychobilly sound of this infamous EP.

1. "Human Fly" - A staple of their live performances, this gloomy and heavily distorted number packs a rough Punk-style punch. Vocalist Lux Interior, as always, goes nuts while guitarists Poison Ivy and Bryan Gregory inject an infectious surf-style twang into the song. And of course, Nick Knox keeps the beat together with his simple and steady drumming. It's a strong number, and a good choice as for the opening track.

2. "The Way I Walk" - A heavy track with a distinctive Psychobilly sound to it. Lux's vocals are a great mix with the gritty guitars and thumping drums. The frantic screaming after the chorus is a nice touch!

3. "Domino" - Another Punk song with a classic rock 'n roll twist, Lux has an absolute ball with this one! His Rockabilly-style hiccuping is all over the place! The lyrics are pretty great as well, being about a crazy greaser cat called "Domino". This is a cover of a song written by Sam Phillips, and originally performed by Roy Orbison as "A Cat Called Domino".

4. "Surfin' Bird" - This number by The Trashmen has become fairly well known as the most repetitive and comical song to come out of the Surf Rock years. The Cramps perform their take on it, and it's just as strange and wild as you'd expect it to be! It has some fun Rockabilly jamming in it as well, pushing the song to a five minute run-time, just like the extended cut of the original.

5. "Lonesome Town" - This is a fantastic cover of a haunting song originally performed by Ricky Nelson. Lux opens it up with a monologue about loneliness, and it takes off as the rest of the band comes in with their signature Psychobilly sound. The key parts of this song are Lux's vocals, which he tries to keep as clean as possible, and Nick Knox's invading bass-drum kicks that emulate the beating of a heart.

It's easy to see why many people credit The Cramps as one of the leading originators of the Psychobilly movement. Their brand of Punk Rock has a definite Rockabilly flair to it, and was undeniably influential. With this EP, they accomplish exactly what they set out to, creating a very wild and memorable experience. Still, their songs are an acquired taste, with Lux's vocals in particular standing out as abnormal, even by Punk Rock standards. That makes this EP very hit-or-miss, meaning you'll probably either love every song or hate every song. The lack of a more commercial addition to the mix only adds to the riskiness of this release, but time has told that it was a gamble that ultimately paid off.

Next up, we briefly leave the world of Psychobilly to take a look at an infamous Post-Punk band...

01-05-2015, 02:10 PM	#69 (permalink)
Oriphiel Ask me how! Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: The States Posts: 5,354	EP Madness! Let's take a break from all of these albums. Grab your boards, because it's time to surf on another wave of EP Madness! Gravest Hits One of the most famous and influential underground bands to ever grace the stage, The Cramps have been around for quite some time, beginning sometime between 1972-1973 when vocalist Lux Interior joined forces with guitarist Poison Ivy. However, it was in 1979 that they began to make serious waves in the world of music with the release of this debut on IRS Records (which was recorded two years earlier, in 1977, and originally released as independently produced singles). While by this point their loyal fanbase was already in love with their wild live shows and endearing oddity, the rest of the world wasn't even remotely prepared for the Psychobilly sound of this infamous EP. 1. "Human Fly" - A staple of their live performances, this gloomy and heavily distorted number packs a rough Punk-style punch. Vocalist Lux Interior, as always, goes nuts while guitarists Poison Ivy and Bryan Gregory inject an infectious surf-style twang into the song. And of course, Nick Knox keeps the beat together with his simple and steady drumming. It's a strong number, and a good choice as for the opening track. 2. "The Way I Walk" - A heavy track with a distinctive Psychobilly sound to it. Lux's vocals are a great mix with the gritty guitars and thumping drums. The frantic screaming after the chorus is a nice touch! 3. "Domino" - Another Punk song with a classic rock 'n roll twist, Lux has an absolute ball with this one! His Rockabilly-style hiccuping is all over the place! The lyrics are pretty great as well, being about a crazy greaser cat called "Domino". This is a cover of a song written by Sam Phillips, and originally performed by Roy Orbison as "A Cat Called Domino". 4. "Surfin' Bird" - This number by The Trashmen has become fairly well known as the most repetitive and comical song to come out of the Surf Rock years. The Cramps perform their take on it, and it's just as strange and wild as you'd expect it to be! It has some fun Rockabilly jamming in it as well, pushing the song to a five minute run-time, just like the extended cut of the original. 5. "Lonesome Town" - This is a fantastic cover of a haunting song originally performed by Ricky Nelson. Lux opens it up with a monologue about loneliness, and it takes off as the rest of the band comes in with their signature Psychobilly sound. The key parts of this song are Lux's vocals, which he tries to keep as clean as possible, and Nick Knox's invading bass-drum kicks that emulate the beating of a heart. It's easy to see why many people credit The Cramps as one of the leading originators of the Psychobilly movement. Their brand of Punk Rock has a definite Rockabilly flair to it, and was undeniably influential. With this EP, they accomplish exactly what they set out to, creating a very wild and memorable experience. Still, their songs are an acquired taste, with Lux's vocals in particular standing out as abnormal, even by Punk Rock standards. That makes this EP very hit-or-miss, meaning you'll probably either love every song or hate every song. The lack of a more commercial addition to the mix only adds to the riskiness of this release, but time has told that it was a gamble that ultimately paid off. Next up, we briefly leave the world of Psychobilly to take a look at an infamous Post-Punk band... Last edited by Oriphiel; 01-05-2015 at 03:11 PM.