The Movement That Never Was: BLOCK #2

See the entry below or go to The Crutch website to read about The Movement That Never Was 1997-2005.

BLOCK #2

The Hunches – Explosion
With the occasional Screamin’ Jay Hawkins styled vocals and extra dirty punk rock and roll in the ass pocket, The Hunches are somewhat of an acquired taste for many, but salty enough for the barrage of fans they picked up in the early part of the 21^st Century. Listen to Yes. No. Shut It. and you’ll come out the other end looking like you’ve been wedging your hands in every crevice of the 289 on your ’65 Mustang. They haven’t released a full-length since 2004, with the release of their Leper Parade 7" on Dusty Medical this year and a recent tour with Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra, we may see something new soon.

Immortal Lee County Killers – Killer 45
Chet “Cheetah” Weise came from Quadrajets fame – another band that could fit in this movement. The Killers easily carry one of the heaviest sounds out of these bunches of bands, but their punk blues gets your attention like stepping on a nail. The hard riffs are catchy and the drumming is simple, but they have managed to push some envelopes with their three full lengths. They’re loud and…fun – yes, fun – and they’re still on the scene, releasing These Bones Will Rise to Love You Again on Funhouse Records this year.

The Horrors – When I Get Home
These hawkeyes may have crafted one of the best albums in the last 10 years with their 2003 In the Red Records release, Vent. A little on the blues-rock end, The Horrors came and went before NME could call them the best band in the world. It’s quite a shame, but luckily they left us a couple albums to listen to and wonder “what if…”

Porch Ghouls – Little Candy For Tessie
Another tragedy of this era, the Porch Ghouls only released two albums. Their first was a self-titled 10” – produced by legendary Jeffrey Evans, and filled with blues covers, including R.L. Burnside, Willie Dixon, and Hound Dog Taylor tracks. Their second, Bluff City Ruckus, is a fucking barnburner, and was released by Roman Records (Joe Perry of Aerosmith’s label, who personally brought them in) and Columbia, but nothing came of it. It’s surprising, since this dirty country blues album blows away anything the widely popular Black Keys have ever recorded. Drummer, Bruce Saltmarsh, also briefly played in ’68 Comeback, but otherwise, these Memphis kids completely disappeared from the map.

Vue – Pictures of Me
First known as The Audience, San Francisco’s Vue was one of the more promising bands of the late 1990s. Jumping from GSL to Sub Pop, and finally to RCA, they had the backing to do something. They also had a sophomore stunner in Find Your Home. There isn’t a bad track on that album, but plenty outside of it. With a the Marc Bolan and Jim Morrison influences, they quickly found themselves regurgitating their own work and sound. Regardless, Find Your Home still stands as one of the better albums of 2001.

Go to BLOCK #1