Phone Jerks – 10 x 10 – New 10" LP

fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com Wow! Wasn't it just a year ago that PHONE JERKS suddenly turned up on Alien Snatch Records with a debut long player that ultimately became my 2018 album of the year? Here they are already with an even better followup! 10 x 10 won't be my 2019 album of the year for the simple reason that it's a 10-inch record and thus technically not an LP. I do realize that the fabled 10-inch is not everyone's favorite format. But I'm a big fan, and I think PHONE JERKS have utilized it in the way the music gods intended (see also, Problematics' Blown Out and Teengenerate's Savage). I don't know how to put this, but 10 x 10 is kind of a big deal. It's Alien Snatch's 100th release, and it also commemorates the label's 20th anniversary (I remember Alien Snatch 001 quite well: it was The Johnnies' 12 Steps To Nowhere, and never in my then 28 years had I ever handled such a thick slab of vinyl!). The title is of course a reference to this being 10 songs on a ten-inch record. But it's also the mathematical computation that equals 100 releases. Look at those Jerks with their clever hidden meanings! I'm not suggesting that Daniel has been plotting for years to make this his 100th release. But seriously: can you think of a band that better exemplifies the spirit of a label that has kept the heart of garage punk/'77 punk/power pop beating for two decades and counting? Between these four band members, they probably own a solid majority of those 100 releases. And of course PHONE JERKS hearken back to those exciting times of later '90s trash punk rock and roll that certainly inspired a young man from Germany to start his own record label. What I noticed pretty quickly about 10 x 10 is that it's a tougher-sounding affair than the self-titled LP. It's less of a budget rock party record and more of a straight-up ripping rock record. The '70s punk influence is more prevalent, and the band members take turns sounding properly fed-up on lead vocals (what was Nicholas McNally doing to these people in the studio?!). At times I'm reminded of a more pissed-off Rip Offs (wouldn't that just be Zodiac Killers?!). And Brian's songs in particular bring a Saints/Lazy Cowgirls edge that was not as pronounced on the last record. With the band pairing down the 16 songs it prepared for this release to the ten strongest cuts, 10 x 10 is the ultimate in all-killer, no-filler. All four Jerks contribute essential tracks. "Benchwarmer" is Tyler's attempt at writing a Makers song, and who can deny that the world needs way more of that sort of thing? Andrew's "Vehicular Manslaughter" makes me nostalgic for a time when I could compare a dozen bands to the Dead Boys every year. Emily's "Frigg Off" has to be the most "eastern Canadian" song title ever. It's about people who are easier to get along with when you see them as little as possible. That's kind of hilarious, but I bet everyone reading this can relate! "U-Turn To Jane's" tells the true story of when Tyler and Emily were both nearly killed just trying to get a pizza. My overall fave track is "She's Stimming Out", a song Brian wrote about the days of his daughter's autism diagnosis. This track rips it up like "Demolition Girl" crashing into "Sonic Reducer", creating the perfect energy for a tune that could not be any more loving and uplifting. This song makes me proud to be a human being. I give 10 x 10 a ten out of ten. Every track is a smash...in the face! It's rather fortunate for me that PHONE JERKS chose to release this as a 10-inch 45. When album of the year time rolls around, I will be spared the difficult choice between PHONE JERKS and certain label mates/country mates of theirs. No civil wars will be breaking out on my watch! If the self-titled LP was best suited for the world famous "Who are they ripping off here?" drinking game, 10 x 10 is more like the record you put on when you feel like punching someone. I think for the practicality of everyday life, this record may be even more useful. If you still insist on hating ten-inch records, just think of this as two killer 7-inches that magically flip themselves over. Happy birthday, Alien Snatch! I will have the German beer flowing all day in your honor!

aliensnatch.com Read the title, nuff said!! 20 years of ALIEN SNATCH! Budget Rock birthday party with 10 smashers on 10 Inches! Turn Loud, neighbours coming anyway!

maximumrocknroll.com (US) Feb 2020 This New Jersey band cranks out the up-tempo garage punk. Supposedly, a SUPERCHARGER cover band originally (major cool points there), this has a sped-up DEAD BOYS and SAINTS feel. Pretty rockin’. (RJ)



OX-FANZINE.DE Issue #148 FEB 2020 Zehn Songs, zehn Zoll Durchmesser, zehn unbestreitbare Teenage Slasher Kippenstummel aus der Bloodstains- Sofaritze für Saufnasen, mittlerer Westen und California, too. DOW JONES AND THE INDUSTRIALS „Hoosier Hysteria“ kotzt im Strahl mit den HOLLYWOOD SQUARES, „Set Yourself On Fire“ vs. „Hillside Strangler“, ein Fest der betäubten Sinne. INJECTIONS Sinne und neo-klassizistische Liebeserklärung an die großartigen HASKELS dazu. Schon die LP hatte diese Reminiszenzen vorzuweisen, zerdepperte Dangerhouse- Singles, zog die CRAP DETECTORS an der Hundeleine durch die Crack-Höhle und ließ die MAGGOTS in einem sauren Regen aus MAGGOTS und Autoabgasen stehen. Kohlenmonoxid statt Klebstoff. Diese Scheibe allerdings setzt dem Ganzen die Krone auf, jagt den vollbeladenen Chevy Intoxica vollends über die Klippe. Das hat Klasse, da schnalzt die pilzüberzogene Zunge und der alte Plattenopa, der sich sonst nur noch beim Erwerb abgenudelter 450-Euro-US-Punk- Singles an der Hose rubbelt, braucht plötzlich neue Unterwäsche. 9/10 (DK)

rumoremag.com (ITA) Feb 2020 Dieci pezzi di punk garage lo-fi dentro un vinile 10”. Tre tizi alle chitarre e al basso, una tipa dietro alla batteria. Niente di più, niente di meno. Cantano tutti, i quattro canadesi. Oddio, urlano o biascicano con una vaga idea melodica di fondo che li colloca di diritto nel catalogo Rip Off della seconda metà dei ’90 tra Statics, Motards e Chinese Millionaires. Tutto si risolve in 20 minuti scarsi. (MG)

voixdegaragegrenoble.blogspot.com DEC 2019 J’avais énormément aimé le 1er et précédent album de ce quatuor mixte américain les voici qui reviennent avec un 10 inches pour célébrer la 100ème sortie de leur label Alien Snatch Rds. Ça met quand même un peu la pression, en donnant une vraie responsabilité au groupe choisit, et les PHONE JERKS assument ce statut avec talent et puissance ! Sur ce court disque ils/elle laissent libre court à leur instincts primaires ! Plus rapide, plus sec, plus court que sur l’album les chansons (car ça reste des chansons) raviront les fans des DWARVES et ZEKE … Un poil moins mélodieuses, et sans trop de mid tempo, même s’il faut se méfier des premières impressions, car les PHONE JERKS parviennent à sonner rapide sur un tempo moyen ! On sent toujours l’héritage DICTATORS, RAMONES, Power Pop, Punk 77, Pop Punk… Garage aussi et un poil de Surf, bien mouliné et amalgamé, et passé ici à la moulinette Punk de Punk !!!! Mais comme les doubitchou, il y a une 2ème couche à l’intérieur ! Et elle se découvre & se déguste au fur et à mesure des écoutes ! Ils/elle nous font même le coup de la chanson passée par erreur en 45 tours…
Ramassé et excellent! Comme un shot de tequila ! Certes, mais de la meilleure disponible sur le marché !!! (BT)