Pinheads - Is This Real?

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 27 / 8 / 2019

Label: Stolen Body Records
Format: CD

intro

Bluesy lo-fi garage rock on sometimes impressive but over-long album from Australian seven-piece the Pinheads, who flirt with 60's pop and Sex Pistols punk

A singer who shows up with the same vigour as Johnny Rotten once did always goes down as a plus in my hidden mental notebook. The Pinheads feature such an outspoken loudmouth in Jez Player, while the rest of the band, who are more than capable, support his vocal rants with strumming twangs and grinding riffs. 'Is This Real?', however, asks for an hour worth of your attention, unlike the Sex Pistols who would have never dared to go on as long. The abuse of certain substances comes as recommended for getting through this album. 'Is This Real?' is a bewildering experience much in the vein of a prolonged Guided By Voices album. Reborn out of style, the Pinheads produce a blend of Sixties garage punk, slow grunge and sleazy rock and roll. 'On & On' aptly describes what they're on about. The Pinheads' take at muddy garage blues at times comes forth in quite spectacular fashion. Because of its isolation, Australia and NZ each and every time produce music which sounds to 'us' both quaint and familiar. 'Is This Real?' could have been big around 1998 with its zany, psychotic blues punk that might have resounded from the grave of the Gun Club. One of the shorter tracks on the album, 'No Time', still clocking in at plus four minutes, shows how today's punks seem to age before they even get a chance to get old. Someone should hand the Pinheads a clock watch. Cut to half an hour, it could be a terrific album.

Track Listing:-

1 Pure Hate
2 Feel It Now
3 For A While
4 No Time
5 Satisfied
6 Innocent Crime
7 Not Like You
8 So Alone
9 On & On
10 Is This Real?
11 Don't Have A Home
12 Outro

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