Album Review: The Sick Things - "The Sick Things"

 

Sometimes you can tell just by looking at a cover of an album that the omens are gonna be good and such is the case with Canadian scuzz merchants the Sick Things. Band named after an Alice Cooper song? Check. Signed to Yeah Right Records who also count the Black Halos and Smash Fashion among their roster? Check. Yup, this one is definitely ticking all the boxes.

So it's safe to say that when the opening track here Take The Head From The Crown kicks in on a swaggering riff that Steve Jones would no doubt happily endorse before exploding into a ferocious slash 'n' burn white knuckle ride that sounds like the bastard offspring of the Backyard Babies and early Manics, you can allow yourself a satisfied nod that this is living up to expectations. Second song Boogaloser struts in sounding like the sort of wrong-side-of-the-tracks tale of wrongdoing that bands like the Hangmen do so well before the Thin Lizzy indebted twin guitar sound of Sick Thing kicks things up another notch.

Essentially, there's not a lot in the way of surprises here but like all the best bunches of ne'er-do-well scumbags, the Sick Things are simply very good at what they do from the scowling vocals to the spiralling riffs and tight-as-you-like rhythm section. If you like the sort of proper bruises, warts 'n' all rock 'n' roll as peddled by the likes of the Dead Boys, the Hellacopters, Appetite For Destruction era G'n'R, the Sweet Things etc then you should find plenty to enjoy here from the moody Empty Castles and We Got It Figured Out to the snotty Lovesick and Ain't Got Time. All in all, this is a most enjoyable half hour demolition derby joyride through the seedier side of rock 'n' roll. Good stuff.

You can download or stream Sick Things from the Yeah Right Records Bandcamp page.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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