Album Review - Mike and the Ravens 'Noisy Boys!' The Saxony Sessions

Some time ago, I interviewed these old codgin' misfits called Mike and The Ravens. They were fulla tales of diggin' Little Richard and Jackie Wilson, rock having zero importance and wakin' up the neighbourhood with rock 'n' roll transmitted through church tower speakers... man... the last story had this sap giddy and Mike Brassard & Co, boy, they were tired-a-talkin' about it. But whatever, these cats knocked everyone clean out once upon a time when folks, some jerks from Liverpool were still dressed in leather and beatin' a hightail with a Quarryman or sommat. The Heart So Cold and Nevermore LPs were proof.

'But that means they're old right? Real old...' sure thing buddy. I bet these guys have been spendin' their time suckin' mints and staring idly outta windows and wonderin' when that kid is gon' come over to help 'em lift somethin' heavy down off the top shelf... right? What? They've been hangin' 'round with skwalin' geetars and singin' about She-Wolf and gettin' lucky with a teacher? Man, get me a ticket for that train!

See bub', it'd be easy for Mike and The Ravens... the original snarling line-up, to merely sit at home and bore everyone half to death with their tales of how-we-used-to-be-in-this-rockin'-band and wang dang their doodles at home after a few beers... but this is Mike and The Ravens. Mike and The Ravens aren't jus' some old dodderers who wanna buy a foot-spa and sink into a world-o-biege. These boys are back to assault thine ears and give you a size 10 boot up yer rump while they're at it. This is band that skipped the whole Perry Como fest and still dig The Monks and The Sonics. And on the strength of 'Noisy Boys!', you sure can tell. Mike and The Ravens are pretty much hellbent on making demented rock 'n' roll to show those fools that the rock 'n' roll flame may have dimmed, but you can still pick up a torch and light yer own fury. Mike Brassard even spits "There's too much baby boomer pabulum out there... y'know, careful albums by careful guys".

So you'd be right in assuming that this is a band... who may be in the Autumn of their careers... who have no intention of rolling over and playin' dead or gettin' the belly rubbed... they clearly wanna chase the postman and shred every letter in the bag! Hellyeah! See, these guys created 'Roller, Roller, Rollerland!' and never got their dues... and instead of a simple shrug, they're here to pickpocket some dues from YOU... steenkin' fuggers.

From the off... we're talkin' 0.0002 seconds in... the legendary ode to the Rollerland rattles in with demented distorto guitar. Jeez... These guys are menna be old? Come on poindexter, keep up... these cats have not only reclaimed their own song, but made a wreck of me. It's loud... it almost falls to pieces so many times... but not quite... and screams'n'hollers while buzzsawing your head off at the jawbone! This LP is T.R.O.U.B.L.E. 'I Be Rockin' With Mrs Benoit' is charging headlong with scattergun drums and those loud, loud, LOUD geetars'n'bass. Shitman. Are these kids fer real? Damn straight they are. And the best ain't even been yit!

'She Wolf'... garage in microcosm... is a loud demonic wonkoid rocker that drives along in some souped up hearse with it's victims skulls nailed to the roof! I can't get enuff of it! It's a "SHIT! PLAY THAT WEIRD HOWLER AGAIN!" For a band that have been frozen in time for 46 years, this track burns enough evil to thaw them and the rest of the West up. See, I heard about the polar ice-caps melting and thought, 'gee, what's with that?' Now I know... it's Mike and The Ravens fault... no question. This band is volcanic adrenaline on wax. It's no fluke either. 'Unlucky in Love' is a bar-room boogie gone bad at the core with fuzz bass and drums that sound like they're fallin' through the floorboards! These old gits are makin' me ill!

After a rollickin' 11 original tracks (how many garage bands... young ones at that... can claim an LP fulla originals?) The Ravens save their most ambitious for last. Running in at almost 8mins, 'Noisy Boys (Too Stupid For The Radio)' is a sprawling psychedelic mugging. Damn. No posturing here. This is sonic onslaught. A droning, fzzzzzzzing, racket that even demands of itself that it should "shut up"... which it shouldn't. Man, it's summat else!

Lissen. I've rambled on long enuff. Shudyer buy this LP? Of course you should. It's pre-garage punks gettin' back on with all the snarl and verve that you could ever want. It's an unbelievably loud rekkid that is itchin' to take a crow bar to your speaker and then your cranium. I'll close with a quote by Eddie Shaw (of The Monks of this very album)...

"Mike and The Ravens play rock like rockers should - and it's not just old rehashed memorabilia... it's a strange blend of 40 years passed and fifteen minutes ago."

Amen brother.   

Click here to buy Mike and the Ravens' 'Noisy Boys' LP