Rickshaw- Sonic Overload (Devil Doll)
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Sweden’s reining kings of slash n’ burn rattlesnake rock sit still long enough to bang out a full length of speed, fire and headbanging cock rock. Making full use of stereophonics (circa 1966, but still) the twin guitars are neatly split between left speaker (Jocke, who also bellows out the trash and fury vox like he’s getting chased down an alley by knife wielding hoodlums) and right speaker (Bobby Dawn), but since only one speaker in my 93 Ford Tempo actually works, I can only surmise that this sounds absolutely bitchin’, if you can afford the luxury of stereo. Even in crackly mono, this one’s a motherfucker, fulla witchy flash metal riffs deep fried in arena rock flourishes and whipped out at motorpunk speed. “I’m Ready” is KISS, “Destroyer” version, if Gene was Lemmy and Paul actually had a pair of balls stuffed into his spandex; “All You Jazz” is a Hellacopters/Skid Row grudge match with plenty of bleeding foreheads and a broken nose or two; “Kitten Natividad” is stoner rock played by homicidal stalkers, “Lick My Flames” is a ballsy, fist pumping sleaze rock anthem, and their cover of the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton hit “Islands in the Stream” sounds just like the Sex Pistols, moments before they all beat each other to death. There ain’t no guesswork involved in Rickshaw (well, maybe the title “Point of Oranges” warrants a little head scratching), that’s for sure. The fuckers call their album “Sonic Overload”, and that’s exactly what they give you here. The only was this record could be any more rock is if Rickshaw themselves pulled up on Harleys to hand it to you. And then maybe punch you in the face and drag your woman off to join their cabal of gypsy strippers. That might be too rock, tho, I dunno.
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