Album Review: The Amplifier Heads - "Saturnaliens"

 

Another signing to Rum Bar records, the Amplifier Heads include at least one off-duty member of power-pop labelmates the Peppermint Kicks whose album we reviewed on here a couple of months back but are a slightly different proposition soundwise, falling right into the glam rock revival with a sci-fi twist on it. It certainly seems to me as though these guys might just have had a few Jobriath and Brett Smiley records in their collections when growing up along with the mandatory copy of Ziggy Stardust. Indeed, there's a song on here, the stomping Sweet-style Glamorama which sees them reeling off a list of their influences.

There's a heavy New York Dolls influence here as well on tracks like Earth Girls On The Loose and Rock 'n' Roll Anaesthesia with the strutting rhythms and David Johansen style vocals. For some reason, Candi Divine reminds me a bit of the old Terrorvision number Ships That Sink as well and the Sweet influence returns on the Blockbuster style pounding drums of Batshit Crazy. It's not quite all killer no filler and there's a few tunes that kind of come and go without really stamping themselves in your head but Saturnaliens definitely has far more good than bad in here. The epic five minute morning-after lament of The Amp That Lost Its Head even starts off all Rock 'n' Roll Suicide acoustic before kicking the guitar and drums in to good effect as it turns into a Mott the Hoople style stomper.

They may not quite be in the same league as Faz Waltz or Velvet Insane but the Amplifier Heads are certainly a worthy addition to the growing nu-glam movement. The controls may well be shamelessly set to 1973 on this one but, as Bowie himself would surely have told you, there's nothing wrong with being a musical magpie as long as you treat your influences with respect while adding your own stamp to them and make no mistake, these guys definitely do.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)

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