(Orrexx Records 2014)
Silent Type
On The Rocks
Under The Radar
See You Again
Fuck You
Five new songs from the instantly identifiable pen of Paul Roman, yet manages to be an eclectic ensemble. Good things really do come in small packages. Having been a convert to the psychobilly scene since the mid 1980s I've had a few favourite bands but only The Quakes have remained a constant. They have consistently churned out great music for almost 30 years now at this stage. Do they deserve a wider audience? Yes they do. But I like the fact that this sub culture has always been somewhat esoteric. This is an unusual Quakes release in that it's the first time in as many years that it's not just Paul Roman erm...playing with himself! It has the live line up and guest musicians in the studio too. Have a gander here if you're a stickler for detail. I know I am. But anyway, the music. You've probably gathered I love The Quakes but that doesn't mean that if I think something is utter shite I won't say it. I will. This isn't. Production values are spot on. All instruments are perfectly mixed. Roman's new wave-esque pronunciation is there. Indelible choruses abound. The Quakes make good music. It's as simple as that. As luck would have it, they're part of our scene. It'd be a jaded one without them. There's psychobilly on here, new wave, country and rockabilly. All with that Quakes spin on the aforementioned genres. Given the knight-based imagery throughout the artwork, bear with me here now...*ahem*...if psychobilly, new wave, rockabilly and country were four kingdoms in Westeros, they'd be ruled by The Quakes (but the throne in each palace would have to be big enough to seat three arses). Did you see what I did there?
The O'Prez
