I don’t know who came up with Phonic Souls for the title of The Gimmies’ Dionysus debut, but they deserve a raise or something, cause it’s right on the money in terms of describing the CD. The Gimmies are a fearsome foursome from Japan who sing in English, and the culture gap plus the sonic shitstorm they whip up renders their lyrics nearly unintelligible (I’m almost positive that the chorus to “Stick It Around the Bend” is not “Automatic stink bomb!” but it sure sounds that way). But that really doesn’t matter, because The Gimmies’ music is soaked to the bone in 100-proof Detroit-style rock and soul circa ’69 or so, and when you’re capable of serving up that sorta meat, and as hot and greasy as The Gimmies do, you can pretty much read from the TV Guide for lyrics, and the leather wolves and bad girls will still light bonfires in the middle of a room for you. That Michael Davis of the MC5 co-produced this monster, and that the band demolishes Radio Birdman’s “New Race” (as well as a Randy Newman tune – no, not the theme to Toy Story) are dollops of 40-weight icing on this big-block Motor City cake, but really, you should be sold on Phonic Souls by the first automatic stink bomb.

Gimmies web site: http://www13.presen.to/~music333/gimmies/
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-Paul Gaita