What we have here is an absolute gem of an album by an Italian band with whom I was, hitherto, entirely unfamiliar. If you think the Monsters, the Legendary Shack Shakers mixed with the Cramps, then you are, at least part way there. The band was created by Jack Cortese (Bone Machine, Billy’s bones records) and the lyrics are in English. The main setup is a 4 piece with guitar, double bass, drums and organ, with some songs also featuring violin and banjo.

The album begins with a guttural roar of ‘I’ve got the Devil deep inside my bones’ then the guitar starts up with a fairly familiar riff, but it is with the Farfizer organ that joins the mix that this gumbo really takes shape. It is wonderfully catchy stuff with vocals that sound a bit like the Reverend Beatman. ‘You Drive Me Wild’ starts rather like a surf number, before introducing elements of the Cramps’ ‘Garbageman’, it has an incessant groove and is really cool, there is also some nice lead guitar work. ‘Monster Inside’ begins with a slow blues riff on top of which the organ weaves in and out quite delightfully. ‘Never Been A Nice Boy’ is a splendid garage work out. ‘I Hate You All’ has a gypsy punk flavour to it, with some terrific fiddle playing, it is rather reminiscent of Gogol Bordello if they were a little more garage. ‘Die Alone’ with prominent banjo and fiddle is pure hoe-down magic. ‘Mad Man’ is a return to garage with the organ and guitar working in harmony. ‘Sick Bob’ is quite a funky track with tremendous use of the organ and rather good snarling vocals. ‘Shake Your Ass For The Devil’ is a faster number with the drummer hammering out a train rhythm it is another very effective number and features an excellent break-down section. ‘Sinners Go To Hell’ has a slightly 70s glam feel to it, but it is essentially a 12 bar blues number. It is a very pleasant track with a great guitar break. ‘Was A Rainy Night’ follows and is again a tremendous example of 60s’ garage. ‘My Guitar’ sees the return of the gypsy punk feel with terrific fiddle playing. ‘Worms’ is full on gypsy punk too. The album concludes with a great rendition of ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ that is slow and fabulously dirty. The cd also includes four demo renditions of album tracks that were recorded in 2017. This album is released by Dandruff In My Mouth Records and is available directly from dimmrec@gmail.com or fb.com/dimmrec

I really like this album and I would urge you to check it out if you are a fan or rockabilly or psychobilly that likes a bit of garage and gypsy punk. This could be right up your alley.

Nick Kemp