The Damned. Where do you start? The first UK punks to do everything - release a single, album, tour the States, split up, reform. Of all that early Punk crop the Damned were the band that could really play. But all that was over thirty years ago and if there's one thing that the Damned have always done, that's grow and expand.
Ever since Machine Gun Etiquette in 1979, guitarist Captain Sensible had brought his psychedelic influences, including his love of Hendrix, Syd's Pink Floyd, the Electric Prunes and even Soft Machine. The next year saw the release of the Black Album, a Punk/Psyche classic featuring the atmospheric and experimental seventeen minute Curtain Call which proved once and for all that the Damned had moved way ahead of the class of '76 and were no mere three chord merchants. The maturity continued onto 1982's majestic Strawberries but soon after Captain Sensible left for solo stardom and gameshow theme tunes.The rest of the 80's saw a more commercial band covering Barry Ryan's Eloise and hitting the top five. Some barren years, reformations and some mediocre albums covered most of the 90's.
It's been seven years since 2001's stunning Grave Disorder which saw the return of the good Captain to the fold, bringing his remarkable songwriting skills back with him. Why it's taken them so long to record a new album is a mystery but I have to admit it's been well worth the wait. The Damned have come back with a top drawer effort that covers all what is great about this band. They just get better and better. Dave Vanian is like the proverbial fine wine who has matured so much as a vocalist. The musicianship of the rest of the band is immense. You have to give them credit for producing such a high level of quality songwriting. This record deserves huge applause. A candidate for album of 2008 for sure. Is it, dare I say, their Magnum Opus?
A Nation Fit For Heroes - A catchy guitar hook and beaty garage organ lead you into an exquisite vocal melody that seeps into your psyche. You know you'll be humming it for days.Under The Wheels is a great song with unexpected twists and turns. Driving bass, lovely guitar licks, excellent chorus.
"Under the skin I crawl but under the wheels I fall"Dr. Woofenstein will knock you sideways with it's stylish arrangement and music hall fanfare. It has a very English psychedelic feel reminscent of Phantasmagoria's Grimly Fiendish but much more accomplished.
"Dr Woofenstein dreams of incredible things in the window".Diamonds could well be the single from this album. Poptastic!Since I Met You is a real surprise with tongue in cheek lyrics (or are they?), gorgeous backing vocals and the Captain showing what a underrated guitar maestro he really is. The guitar solo soars like an eagle and tears your heart out. Heavenly.A Danger To Yourself - a good fun uptempo track. The organ and guitar meshing perfectly in the middle psyche-out section.Maid For Pleasure - S&M Cross- dressing fantasy. A Sensible song I presume?Perfect Sunday - A really infectious riff. Soap-box lyrics.Nature's Dark Passion is singer Dave Vanian's finest hour. His love of film scores and horror movie soundtracks really comes to the fore. It's pure theatre. He is the real Sweeney Todd/ Phantom Of The Opera and has never sung better. Shivers up your spine stuff.Little Miss Disaster - Single from three years ago which should have been a hit. Fits perfectly into the context of this record.Just Hangin' - The catchy tunes just keep coming. Soap opera losers.Nothing - Pinch proving what a superb drummer he is in this fast punky number. Cool backwards guitar solo. Nasty.Dark Asteroid - Saving the best until last, this will take your breath away. Barrett slide guitar. Classic trippy organ. Fabulous tune. Wonderful lyrics:
HEY HO, EVER SO EVER SO
THERE'S A MAGICAL PLACE TO GO
IT'S A DREAM REACTION SET IN A CATACOMBE
FOR THE TECHNICOLOUR WHIMSICAL GRAMAPHONE
AND I CAN SEE YOU
YOU TOOK THE AXE TO SLICE UP THE CAKE
DIDN'T YOU KNOW - YOU RUINED THE SHOW
IT'S TIME YOU SHOULD GO
GREEN FIELDS, NEVER SEEN IT THIS WAY
HIGH TIDE, DROP OUT AND DRIFT AWAY
MAYBE TIME RUNS BACKWARDS, YESTERDAY IS TODAY
CHANGE THE WAR DIVISIONS INTO A LOVE PARADE
AND I CAN HEAR YOU
DON'T RECOGNISE WHAT YOU HAVE BECOME
A CORPORATE BRAND - BORING AND BLAND
THROW IN YOUR HAND
FUZZTONES ECHOING THROUGH THE HALL
SCREAMING AND SPIRALING THROUGH THE WALL
DID THE GAMES FOR MAY END UP IN A FREE FOR ALL
TURN OUR FAVOURITE MADMAN INTO THE KING OF COOL
BUT I CAN'T TOUCH YOU
THAT BARGEPOLE THERE IS JUST OUT OF REACH
YOU'RE FILLING THE VOID - DARK ASTEROID
SO WHO'S PARANOID?
...and then into a freakout finale where Sensible gets into some serious paint-stripping wah-wah dynamics complemented by Monty's swirling psychedelic keyboards and Stu West's almost Krautrock bass playing that nails your head to the floor. Absolutely mesmerising. It doesn't get any more psychedelic than this...
A highly recommended purchase, indeed.
Available for download now at: www.officialdamned.com
