Remember – if you send it, it will get reviewed. That’s the City Slang promise. It doesn’t matter what genre the music is – as long as it has a Metro Detroit connection, it’ll get in. Preferably, we’d like to concentrate on new releases but, while we’re getting warmed up here, feel free to send back catalog material too. Send CDs, vinyl, cassettes, demos and 8-tracks to Brett Callwood, City Slang, Metro Times, 733, St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 46226. Email MP3s and streaming links to [email protected].
Skanska Mord is a fuzzy Swedish psychedelia band signed to the local Small Stone Records. Besides the fact that Paths to Charon has some awesome art on the cover, the music is fucking sweet. Talk about “fuzzy”, it almost sounds like there’s a haze of hash smoke between the singer’s mouth and the mike, between the plectrum and the strings. Think Soundgarden and Monster Magnet at their most anthemic. Not sure how it’s possible to be this heavy and chilled out at the same time.
Marvin Gardner sings with a local veteran soul group called Ultimate Ovation, though the Love Marvin album is a solo effort. It’s not great, to be fair. The vocals are given the Cher “Believe” warble treatment, and it just doesn’t work. Shame, because Gardner obviously has a set of pipes on him.
Charm Rock & Co threw their From the Jump CD at one of our editors at a show, so you have to admire the tenacity. It’s not bad, reminiscent of early Jam. Nothing original here, but the songs are strong enough to vary the band through and hint at growth potential.
Pete Bankert recently sent us his entire back catalogue, which is truly something to behold. Bankert played on MC5 man Rob Tyner’s Blood Brothers solo album, as well as on the Dark Carnival The Last Great Ride album featuring Niagara and Ron Asheton. Some of his lesser-known work, from groups like the Farleys, Weapons, Send More Cops, and Cub Koda and the Points, are just as fascinating and worth checking out. Daniel Wentworth’s I’m on a Mission, also featuring Ted Nugent guitarist Derek St. Holmes, in particular, is a great piece of work.
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