8 / 10
The beauty of garage punk is that its many exponents never deem it necessary to update the mould. Maybe they hold too much reverence for the past where the messy riffology of The Stooges and The Who is romanticised to the point of perfection. For Japan's premier lowslingers, Thee Machine Gun Elephant, the game plan sure ain't rocket science. It goes thus: the monolithic riff, the sleazy rasp and the matching clobber (see The Ramones, all '60s punk groups)
is everything.
So, stoked by raw power, 'Gear Blues' Thee MGE's fourth album available in the UK. They've made five filters all the greatest moments from gravel-throated R&B's past, taking in the sex, the drugs and the brilliantly nonsensical lyrics to make a noise that is both life saving and utterly absurd. Just as it should be.
Not that Yusuke Chiba's supremely wretched wailing will do much to edify morals. His unique amalgamation of Cobain, Lydon and Iggy Pop relays such truisms as "There's no way but loose" ('Brian Down'), followed swiftly by the clarion call to "Dance happily" ('Give The Gallon') while the verses in between are nothing but a riot of clashing metaphors and murky nihilist intent.
Armed with an arsenal of hooks, chiselled cheekbones and oodles of self belief, Thee Machine Gun Elephant are credible heirs to the garageland throne, and, if that wasn't enough, a paragon of internationalism. Good work there, fellas.
Darren Johns
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