The Warlocks - Surgery

keepers - 1
Lead singer Hecksher's description of the music as "space-age doo-wop" is at least partially on, as the chords of "Angels In Heaven, Angels In Hell" will sound familiar to anyone who's heard early rock-n-roll, though the feedback and reverb sound is an update via Jesus And Mary Chain, which reaches its logical conclusion on closing track "Suicide Note", which is put over the top by the organ. There are also the spacey arpeggios and simple structures of Spiritualized or Ride, and even some Sonic Youth in "Thursday's Radiation". There are many great elements to recommend it were it not for Hecksher's whiny, breathy delivery that usually resembles a kid in a 50's sitcom yowling "but moooo-oooooom". Most songs do have a way of becoming familiar thanks to repetitive by catchy choruses, but when every song sounds like a cover of "Earth Angel" I can't really describe several songs in a way that distinguishes it from the others. The hidden track second half of "Suicide Note"**** returns to the familiar drone and pounding drums of Ride but minimizes Hecksher's vocals this time, meaning that the most listenable tracks is saved for the end. Somebody will probably know this to be a cover or something, but it's new to me.

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