...REVIEWS !!
THE LOCOMOTIONS - s/T LP
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL (USA) July 2004 Abusive, tinny cacophony. I listened to it while (insert domestic task) and the hours simply flew by. The LOCOMOTIONS bridge the generation gap between the GIZMOS frat punk and the modern day DOWN-SYNDROME- underfed and hopped up on electricity. They've got a sound that I hear plenty of- but they also bring a kinda underfed desperation that pushes them over the edge into memorable, catchy tunes. Punk without the mohawks. Lyric-wise they're not much more complicated than 'You Got Your Headlights On' or 'Baby, you look so fine, wanna make you mine' etc. It ain't poetry, but if I need poetry I'll turn to Merle Haggard. (JH)
ODYSSEY
ZINE (USA) June 2004 The tongue-wagging
photo on the cover may have you thinking that this is another glossy Swedish
cock rock band, but that's Martin Savage (ex Blacks, Tokyo Knives), and this
is grubby, off-the-cuff, spazzed-out punk rock with some awesome drunken, screamed
vocals. This album pairs their LP on Alien Snatch with the songs from their
"Tell Her" 7" as a US release. It's full of great, clattering
originals with big singalong choruses and tons of crazed energy. Additionally,
they add some fun covers. I bet you didn't see that one coming. I missed out
on the original foreign releases of this stuff, and I'm glad I finally got with
the program. This is the best band I've heard out of Sweden in a long, long
time.(Phil Hunt)
HIGH HEELS SLUT (Belgium) June 2004 Their debut album on ALIEN SNATCH! was already received as a highly appreciated effort at our HQ, here’re some more 7”s. The LOCOMOTIONS are up for a nice set of trashy and primitive garage rawk’n’roll. They don’t need expensive equipment or the latest electronic tricks, just a few cheapo guitars and crackling amps will work out as well. The 7” on their own Savage label has a broken “Under My Thumb” (ROLLING STONES) on the flip, but it doesn’t beat by far the tight rendition of this song by SOCIA DISTORTION. Both songs on the A-side however belong to the very best songs this band has recorded. Appearing on Yakisakana shouldn’t be a surprise, cuz the LOCOMOTIONS totally fit the label’s direction and you’re again in for the full EP size, being four songs. Rawk’n’roll trash deluxe! With the release on the New Zealand based Perpetrator these Swedes are up to their first foreign release. These four songs were recorded at Toe Rag by Liam Watson and once more deliver a few kicks’n’shivers. The LOCOMOTIONS remind a great deal of the DRAGS and that, my friends, is a huge compliment. On tour through Europe with the MAGNETIX, don’t miss out!! (WC)
UNCLE DAN'S HOUSE OF SMUT (US) June 2004 Martin Savage has been is a slew of highly regarded bands such as the Blacks, Tokyo Knives, and Dixie Buzzards, on top of running his own record label. So, what else is there left for him to do? Why, continue to bludgeon listeners with more quality raw rock n' roll, of course. Along with his two mates, both from Sons of Cyrus, that's exactly what happens on this self-titled Locomotions album. It's another impressive addition to that already stacked resume. The Locomotions do a fantastic job merging the rawest, sickest garage punk rock n' roll imaginable with the hook-laden nature of power pop. Imagine a blend of the Drags and the Real Kids--that will give you a fair idea of what's going down on this disc. The results are infectuous but unfriendly. It really is the best of both worlds. Superb songwriting seals the deal for this debut Locomotions album. The band are at their rock n' roll best on the handclap littered "Stockholm City Girls." Their power pop slant especially shines through on gems such as "Tell Her," "Make Up Your Mind," and "She's Got Her." The Drags-ian nature of the Locomotions rears its head most during "I'm On Fire" and "The American Fuse," which also stands out for its synth-injected new wave-isms and Lost Sounds-esque moments. As a band, you really couldn't hope for a better starting point than what the Locomotions have come up with on this platter. If this disc is any indication, expect even bigger and better things from these guys, in the future. At the very least, a generally great album but, more than likely, one of the best 2004 will produce, period. The world needs more stuff like this--keep it coming.
SLEAZEGRINDER
(US) June 2004 Straight outta Stockholm, Rock City, the
Locomotions are a side-project-gone-right, consisting of two members of shaker-maker
psyche-garage groovers the Sons of Cyrus and Martin Savage, main-man behind
the Blacks, Tokyo Knives, and Dixie Buzzards, among others. Seems they shared
a rehearsal space and a mutual love of the Real Kids, and you know how that
goes, baby. This manic blast of skinny tie punk has all the vintage flavor that
Cyrus are known for, just 15 years later than usual. Think the aforementioned
Real Kids, the Voidoids, and mebbe the Pagans, and ya got the sound here- jumpy,
pill-popping rock and roll with a dash of R&B and the spastic herky-jerk
of early new wave. "Stockholm City Girls", which pretty much consists
of a ramshackle Clash riff and lots of horny screaming, is my pick o' the litter,
but somethin' tells me you'll really dig the beach-party freakout of "I'm
on Fire" and the ragged, punk-ass slur-fest of "My Heart is Alright"
just as much. Hell, you'll probably just dance around, drunk and happy, for
it's entire duration. Oh, and yeah, sure, there's a cover of "The Locomotion"
here, too. How could there not be, really?
BLANK
GENERATION (USA)
JUNE 2003 Here we have a brand new fiery punk-and-roll
record from Swedish garage ringleader Martin Savage’s new outfit. I’ll be honest,
I was never big on the BLACKS or DIXIE BUZZARDS. Not sure exactly why, I just
never dug the stuff much. Martin finally won me over with the TOKYO KNIVES,
and now this LOCOMOTIONS LP, which is remarkably the first full-length he’s
managed to get out between all of his bands. Mr. Savage, backed by two SONS
OF CYRUS, resurrects the well-preserved corpse of THUNDERS for most of this
record, pulling off some great DOLLS/HEARTBREAKERS moments while throwing some
cool power-pop and early Brit-punk moves in to keep it from going flat. “Stockholm
City Girls” is my pick for choice cut on this album, a great and simple near-pop
tune with Martin’s screams sounding almost David Johansen-like. The guitars
have a very nice and clean ring to them, great choruses, Martin’s…well, savage
vocals, top shelf packaging from Alien Snatch!, and a fantastic job of audaciously
covering The DIRTBOMBS’ “Headlights On” all make this a real winner.(RK)
HIGH HEELS SLUT #6 (BELGIUM) JUNE 2003 Debut album by yet another band featuring Martin from the SAVAGE zine and label and formerly involved in bands like the DIXIE BUZZARDS., Blacks and TOKYO KNIVES. With the LOCOMOTIONS he stomps through a nice mess of high-energy R'n'R, capturing a primitive and dirty feel about it. It's got the right amount of soul cranked out of the amps and reminds of a hot R'n'R party involving the DRAGS and the JEWWS. "Headlights On" by the DIRTBOMBS (you know, with Mick Collins from the GORIES, BLACKTOPS, SCREWS,…) gets this electrified treatment too, just as the obvious Little Eva hit "The Locomotion" that's included as a hidden track. A cool new addition to the ALIEN SNATCH! empire! (RW)
VINYL
A-GO-GO (USA) JUNE 2003 Germany’s favorite flippant and frolicking
rock and roll/power-pop/punk/rock label brings us another twelve-inch platter
of scorching, rollicking, rock and rolling rave-up. A lead singer who sounds
neurotic and infected and out of breath, snot, moisture, and time; combined
with raw, stomping garage beat/chordage, and lots of gusto/danceablity; ensures
a good time for all (not to mention the awesome recorded quality of the buzzing,
jangling guitars that sends your ears into fits of infucktious fun). Unlike
the death-rattling of most garage acts these days The Locomotions tunes are
actually infectious, yet still repetitive, which guarantees you’ll remember
them and always hear your favorite parts lots and lots. These s(notty)kinny
kids sound not unlike the ‘77 punk rock of Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
(that’s straight from the press release but on handclappingly infectious punk
tracks like “Stockholm City Girls” you can’t deny it, or not write it up). So
think punk. Like it used to be. Without mohawks, but with tight dress shirts
and slacks and a sneering short-haired lip.
This is goddamn good.
If these guys got heard by the right people they’d be sending spit and rubber
soles all over the dance floors of the punk rock nightclubs. I wanna kiss The
Locomotions for making the chorus of “Tell Her” (and nearly every other track
on this marvelous platter) (just a rolling repeat of ”You gotta tell her, tell
her, tellherthatIloveher...” that fucking sends my fucking nuts into my guts).
This is beautiful, gut-bleeding, tear-filled, infectious and inspired punk rock
for all you ugly, dancing, loving, sniveling louts. I know its an import LP,
but motherfucker you gotta get this or you simply ain’t got IT. Dig?
(LH)
CYCLOPS
ZINE (USA)
MAY 2003 The LOCOMOTIONS have just released
their self-titled, debut LP on ALIEN SNATCH!Records. The Locomotions are Martin
Savages latest project. After many, many 7 inches and a 10 inch or two with
the BLACKS, DIXIE BUZZARDS, TOKYO KNIVES and CHINGALEROS, Martin has finally
release a full length album. Along with Savage (guitar, vocals) is Loco Lopez
on bass and Topi the Kat on drums. Much like Savages other work, this is raunchy,
mix of r&b, punk and old time rock n’ roll. Side A kicks off with “The American
Fuse.” It starts off with some strange soundeffect that sounds like my turntable
is draggin’. The song kicks into a boppin’ new wave beat then rocks out punk
rock style. “Come And Get It” is an ass-shakin’ slice of r&b drenched rock
n’ roll with a great riff. “Headlights On” is a DIRTBOMBS’ cover with a song-along
chorus about a girl who got a little too cold. Savage makes excellent cover
song choices. “Stockholm City Girls” is the kind of song the Stones used to
write. Great song, great riff, great melody, great handclaps and great chorus.
Side A ends with the cool instrumental “Sigma Attack.” I think I hear a trumpet
in there. “Tell Her” leads off Side B. It’s a punked up pop song. “Saturday
Night Again” is a cover of a DOGMATICS’ tune. It flat out rocks and has a classic
guitar solo. “She’s Got Her” is the last song listed on the sleeve and another
great song. It will have you dancing and singing along all night long. The actual
last song, which isn’t listed, is a groovy version of the classic, “Locomotion.”
This is a great punked up version and a great ending to a great album. Martin
Savage reminds me of Mick Collins or Greg Cartwright. He keeps putting out great
records and everything he touches seems to turn to gold. This is one great slab
of rock n’ roll wax. You need this LP.
BLANK GENERATION (USA) MAY 2003 Wow! Mr. Martin Savage is back with a new three piece destruction unit known as The LOCOMOTIONS! This is a super stripped down record with one distinct guitar track, one distinct bass track, spot on drumming and usually just one vocal track (with a ton of screaming, of course) that give rise to a primal, garage rock sound. By no means is it a sloppy or shoddy sounding recording, it's just that this stuff sounds best when it's recorded simply which this record definitely is. There are a pretty wide spectrum of sounds on here ranging anywhere from bluesy garage punk to trashed out, poppy glam to a freaky, almost psychedelic instrumental. The real highlight track, in my opinion, is the absolute scream-fest "Come and Get It" although the quite poppy "Make Up Your Mind" does come close, as do their versions of the DIRTBOMBS' "Headlights On" and The DOGMATICS' "Saturday Night Again". Another must get record from Alien Snatch! who continue to impress with not only the sounds coming out of the grooves on their records but also with the nice, thick wax and the great sleeve designs and jet black paper sleeves. And if we're lucky The Locomotions will soon be back with some new songs recorded at the legendary Toe Rag Studios! Stay tuned!
NOW
WAVE MAGAZINE (USA) April 2003 Here’s another really strong garage
release from the ALIEN SNATCH! hit factory! The LOCOMOTIONS are a heavy duty
punk n’ roll trio starring the infamous Martin Savage---and their full-length
debut is as raw, wild, and...uh...savage as any long-player you’ll ever hear.
I’m talking a ferocious, primitive, deafening, pushed-past-the-brink garage
rock n’ roll onslaught. On a scale of 1-100, this blazin’ baby rocks at 101!
Savage’s patented raw guitar sound unfurls enough sheer noise power to shatter
a million eardrums, and on vocals he screams like a possessed drunken maniac.
Behind him, the rhythm section sounds tight, inspired, and hell-bent on nothing
short of full-on sonic destruction. The material ranges from standard lo-fi
rawk clamor to grade-A high-velocity scorchers like “The American Fuse”. The
very best songs---such as “Stockholm City Girls”, “Tell Her”, and “Make Up Your
Mind”---rock like thrashed-up, mutated NEW YORK DOLLS back alley anthems gone
WAY out-of-control. I doubt you can handle this record, tough guy. If I called
this LOCOMOTIONS LP a “musical train wreck”, would that be a bad pun? (JR)
LATEST
QUOTE : Got the
LOCOMTIONS today! I am freaking out in my room listening to this!!!! It's like
the record TEENGENERATE would have made beforethey broke up! I can't decide
what record is better between this and the KIDNAPPERS . Fuck! It's a toss up.
Later. (JOEL JETT / THE MINDS & THE FLIP TOPS)
UNDERGROUND MEDICINE (USA) March 2003
3RD GENERATION NATION MARCH 2004 #27 Hier kann ich absolut nicht mehr nachvollziehen, warum mir die Platte nach dem ersten mal hören nicht gefallen wollte. Lag´s an meiner Stimmung? War´s nicht die richtige Lautstärke? Lange ist es her. Beim zweiten Versuch war dann wohl alles perfekt, und The LOCOMOTIONS rockten los, als gäbe es den berühmten Morgen nicht mehr. Immer voll auf die Fresse, mit ihrem perfekten Mix aus Beat, Garage und wenigstens 99% Punk Rock der alten Schule. Lediglich der erste Track "The American Fuse" will bei mir keine rockige Stimmung aufkommen lassen, die anderen zehn sprengen mir dafür fast die Rübe weg. Das Teil brauch ich unbedingt für einen perfekten Kneipenabend, wo mal wieder alles erlaubt ist. Bin schwer begeistert, von diesem Einstand! Aber was red ich groß, die kommen eben aus Schweden, das sollte doch reichen! ($tupid, Fünf von Fünf Sternen)
OX
#50 (GER) MARCH 2003:
ALIEN
SNATCH! RECORDS hat sich ja in recht kurzer Zeit zum Qualitätslabel für
richtig schön "raunchy" Punkrock entwickelt, und da machen auch
die LOCOMOTIONS keine Ausnahme. Das hier ist ihr erster Longplayer, und all
zu viele Leute können es gar nicht gewesen sein, die bislang von der Band
gehört haben, denn die erste und einzige 7" auf SAVAGE RECORDS, dem
Label des babndleader Martin Savage, war bei eben 400 Stückern natürlich
schnell ausverkauft. SAVAGE wiederum kennt man unter anderem von den DIXIE BUZZARDS,
und dass der Herr außerdem von klassischem 70´s NYC Punkrock ist
- Dolls und Thunders lassen grüßen, lässt sich angesichts des
wunderbar rauh-krachigem Sounds dieser LP kaum verhehlen. Und wer sich einer
Komposition von Mick Collins (" Headlights On") animmt, beweist noch
viel mehr guten Geschmack. Würden Crypt noch Platten mit aktiven Bands
machen, uich glaube, Tim Warren könnte hier schwach werden. (jh)
GREEN HELL (SWEDEN) March 2003: Nach den DIXIE BUZZARDS bereits die zweite Band um Martin Savage (siehe auch TOKYP KNIVES, BLACKS), der hier ähnlich genial loslegt wie auf der Black Juju 10". Das Trio erinnert an die trashigen Lo-Fi Perlen der DRAGS, vermischt mit einem guten Schuß Sixties Punk a la DMZ und ein klein wenig New York Junk Rock. Dabei können eigene Songs wie "Come and get it" oder "Stockholm city girls" ebenso begeistern wie das überragende DIRTBOMBS Cover "Headlights on".
www.grunnenrocks.nl
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IPUNKROCK (Spain) JAN 2005 No podemos dejar de hablar de LOCOMOTIONS sin nombrar a Martin Savage (The Blacks, Dixie Buzzards, Playmobils, responsable del fanzine Savage y del sello Savage Records) junto a él en esta banda están Topi The Kat y Loco López ambos de la banda Sons Of Cyrus. MORE... Este es su LP de debut que lo ha publicado el sello Alien Snatch en vinilo y Dead Beat Records en CD. Catorce cortes de punk-blues-rock’n’roll acojonantes!!! Para mí uno de los mejores discos del pasado 2004, solo comenzar con “The American Fuse” te dan en la cara con su energía desbordante, “Stockholm City Lights” recuerda a los mejores Real Kids y para no despistar incluyen versiones de bandas como Dirtbombs “Headlights On” (un tema que publicaron los de Detroit en el sello Solid Sex Lovie Doll Records y que es muy difícil de conseguir por no decir imposible) donde los Locomotions hacen de maravilla otro de los mejores cortes del disco, Rolling Stones “Under My Thumb” (sin lugar a dudas la mejor versión que he escuchado de este tema), The Dogmatics ”Saturday Night Again”, y como no!! ”Do The Locomotion” el tema del que surge el nombre de la banda… (el clásico escrito por Gerry Goffin y Carole King que hizo famoso Little Eva) C’mon baby do the locomotion!!! Piensa en el rock’n’roll de bandas como Sonics sobre todo cuando escuches ”On My Knees”, Heartbreakers cuando escuches ”Make Up Your Mind” o ”She’s Got Her” y Real Kids y tendrás a los LOCOMOTIONS. No les pierdas la pista ni dejes escapar los buenísimos 7” que publican en distintos sellos como Yakisakana, Big Neck, Perpetrator… etc.