Crash Kelly- Penny Pills (Bhurr Records)
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This rekkid's been number one with a bullet in the Sleazegrinder Speedmachine ('93 Ford Tempo GL - only Detroit Steel 'round these parts, brother) all goddamn month long, and even if I wanted to play something else, Stacey'd probably bite my hand. Honestly, I haven't heard instant superhit songwriting like this since Cranford Nix, and, you know, he's DEAD. Crash Kelly is the brilliant creation of Toronto's own Sean Kelly (ex-Robin Black) and a whole buncha funky friends. Now, looking like Marc Bolan is one thing, but sounding like the metal guru, and writing songs that are JUST AS GOOD as vintage T Rex, is another thing entirely, but that's the situation we've got on our hands here. "Penny Pills" is a collection of rootsy, glammy rock n' roll songs that are equal parts 70's glitter rock and insanely catchy powerpop, like, well, like the Malakas or Dramarama or Snatches of Pink or maybe Material Issue. Not that Crash Kelly sound all that much like those bands, but you know how all their latest rekkids were yer new all-time favorites? Same thing. I originally heard opener "She Gets Away" on the last "Bubblegum Slut" comp and the instantly memorable Ziggy-isms of the song have yet to lose their charm. Elsewhere, the Easdale-esque "11 Cigarettes" is a warm, melancholy rocker with some tasteful strings tossed in, "You Don't Know" has the hooks and the snarl of vintage Alice Cooper band, "Irish Blessing 95" is an affecting, heartfelt roots-rocker with an appropriately Thin Lizzy-like guitar-hook, and...well, there's plenty more where that came from. Like all great songwriters, Kelly makes it all seem so effortless, like he just wrote another buncha hits while you were reading this, ya know? I'm sure a lot of the "Penny Pill" sound comes from the rest of the band too, but I reckon these songs would sound just as good with nothing but a beat-up acoustic guitar and a pack of smokes, ya know? Anyway, guys like Kelly never get their due- just look at the careers of everybody I've mentioned here- but if anybody deserves rock stardom, it's this cat. I'm pulling for him. In the meantime, if yer lookin' to fill your ears and heart with some tremendous, soulful, authentic rock n' roll, then this is exactly the place to find it. Turns out Love Rock STILL awaits you, brothers and sisters. Lo and behold.
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