Cheap Time is a dirty, dirty band. Their music is a clandestine mixture of punk and garage rock - equal parts Ramones and White Stripes. Despite this, deep down beneath their dirty exterior, Cheap Time is just a good old fashioned rock and roll band. Their songs sound vintage, raw, and even primal at times. It might be easy for a band to fit two of the aforementioned categories, but a band like Cheap Time that nails all three with energy to spare is hard to come by. The show will be rounded out by Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers, a Buffalo based garage-rock band that might just be the perfect compliment to Cheap Time. The Backpeddlers sound a bit less punk and a bit more British Revolution, sort of like The Kinks. This is definitely fortunate - if either band was any more intense, people at the show may leave with broken ear drums... or maybe just melted faces. The show starts at 9:00 PM at Mohawk Place. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day of the show.
Earlier this week, we gave you our opinion of the album. Now its time to celebrate the release of Songs of Guilt & Revenge, the latest from Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers, live tonight at Mohawk Place. The Brit Invasion, garage rock infused LP is one of our favorite releases of the year, capping off a great year for not only Norris, but his label, Harvestsum Records. Tonight's show has an early start, 7:00pm, with musical support from not only Matt Smith, but his guitar as well.
I have to admit, I have been sitting on, but enjoying mind you, this album since summer, but with the release show for Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers' latest, Songs of Guilt & Revenge, going down this Saturday, what better time for a proper review. Sounding like the Hold Steady had they not embraced their Kerouac and Springstein loving side but rather their 60's Brit Rock and garage influences, Norris and crew serve up 10 track album confirming their working class hero status which the likes of Elvis Costello to Craig Finn would be proud of. Speaking of the crew, the Backpeddlers include current Harvestsum Label members Roger Bryan(Roger Bryan & the Orphans), Andy Vaeth(Johnny Nobody), both of who played together in former alt-pop outfit The Old Sweethearts for those keeping track. Not too shabby there.
Crunchy chords on tracks like album opener, the foot stopping, hand clapping "Turn the Tables", "It's Alll True", and the buzz saw guitar heroics of "New Father's Blues" back Norris' bluesy vocals on the 36 min release. "(Do the) Crying Shame" and "We Know (Who We Are)" are both pure power pop joy. The former is a rollicking number with the best use of those British Invasion keys on the album. Later on the record, "Doctor Friend", with "American Girl" esque chords that would make Tom Petty blush, finds Bryan and Vaeth adding their stellar backing vocals to the chorus as they repeat Norris' pleas. "I'm A Lot Like Him" is a late night, booze soaked sing along that sounds like it could have perfectly fit into the Basement Tapes recording sessions of Bob Dylan and the Band way back when in Woodstock.
Norris closes the album with "Old Father's Blues", a sparse, haunting track that finds Norris singing over faint, almost non existent strumming and soulful organs. Theremins weave in as Norris heartbreakingly sings "If I could go with you, you know that I would", ending the track, and the blistering album for that matter, on a touching and sombre note.
Make sure to stop by Mohawk Place at 7:00pm this Saturday to help celebrate the release of Songs of Guilt & Revenge by Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers.
The Fleshtones, hailing from Queens, are garage-rockers who never quite gained widespread commercial success but garnered quite the cult following. Known for being stalwarts of the legendary New York punk venue CBGB, Mohawk Place seems to be the perfect venue for these guys. Opening for the Fleshtones tonight at Mohawk Place are Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers. This past summer, Harvestsum's Norris and crew released his latest, the raw, British invasion esque garage rock Songs of Guilt and Revenge,one of the best local releases of the year. His backing band, the Backpeddlers aren't too shabby either as they feature Roger Bryan of Roger Bryan & the Orphans and Andy Vaeth of Johnny Nobody. The show begins at 8 p.m. and admission is $15.
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