People have been trying to bury rock and roll for a long time, declaring countless times that rock is dead. Well, if Mojo Nixon taught us nothing else (and there’s a lot to be learned from Mojo), he taught us that “you can’t kill rock n roll.”
The Bobby Lees are a young bone-shaking Garage Rock band out of Woodstock NY. Their new record ‘Skin Suit’ is produced by underground punk legend Jon Spencer of the Blues Explosion, and mixes classic garage-punk hits with raw and emotive storytelling.In the past year they’ve played with The Chats, Future Islands, Boss Hog, Daddy Long Legs, Shannon & The Clams and Murphy’s Law. They will be on tour in the US and Europe throughout 2020.
If you need proof that Mojo is correct about that, then look toward The Bobby Lees. Ironically, this band is from Woodstock, New York, but don’t expect any folky songs about love and peace (not that there is anything wrong with those) on the band’s new album Skin Suit, It’s pretty fitting that the album was produced by Spencer. Right from the beginning of the album, that band plays with similar energy and volume to any of Spencer’s projects. There is also something of The Stooges in the band’s sound. You can hear it not only in the wildly fuzzed-out guitar and powerful vocals, but also in the bass line that is enough to make you feel a rumble in your gut.
If you’re looking for subtleties, this is not the album for you. But then, when has rock and roll ever been about subtleties? This album is about fuzzy garage-punk guitar, rumbling bass, frantic beats, and vocals that are made for loud and fast rock and roll. Fronted by Sam Quartin, whose vocal charisma channels some of the preposterous intensity of the Alan Vega/Cave/Cramps lineage, the band’s second album is an explosion of intensity of high-concept, low-budget rock’n’roll. The band show they’ve got the chops and the weirdness to refresh vintage rock, punk, and blues without the commercialism that has plagued other prominent garage bands of their generation
The album ends with a cover of Richard Hell’s “Blank Generation”. This version is pretty true to the original. Both versions feature loud guitars that may or may not have been tuned precisely. The biggest difference is the howled vocals by Sam Quartin. How many bands have you heard lately that can get away with desecrating “I’m a Man” and sound credible? It’s all in Quartin’s leering vocal and Casa’s muscular guitar.
Fear not, loyal reader. Rock isn’t dead. It is alive and well in the capable hands of The Bobby Lees. In fact, the next time you hear that rock is dead, you should present this album as evidence to the contrary. Every one of the 13 songs on this album is an absolute pounder. Even if you’ve never seen the band live, you get the idea that their live shows must be amazing considering the energy they put into recording.
There’s the certainty of Punk, the immediacy of Garage, the anger of those who don’t care here, ‘Move‘ is a one and a half minute snarl, but even when they show some musical chops, as on the percussive ‘Coin‘, there’s the itchiness of a freshly grown scab. – STEVE SWIFT’S ROCK REMEDY
Storming to the scene with a howling sense of rebellion and nonconformity. – ALTERNATIVE PRESS
The Bobby Lees are the giant green cyclops of rock ‘n’ roll. – BTRtoday
our new record “Skin Suit” being released on 5/8/20 by Alive Natural Sound Records.
The Fat Angel Sings 