The Psyatics - Oderint dum Metuant

I know, I know, I talk about these cats almost weekly, but damn if they aren't one of the best and most original bands in Vegas these days and now they've managed to put out a damn fine full-length CD! Anyone who has seen the band live has already grooved upon most of these tunes, from the pure garage of the opening Oblivions cover "Trouble" through the cool dissonance in the equally rockin' "The Hanging Tree" all the way to the break-neck punk rock of the closer, "Suzie Got a Stutter".

There's so many facets to the Psyatics, though. The guys come up with a cool, herky-jerky rhythm for the minor-key bouncin' dirge that is "Death of Me" and then throw us a curve with a cover of the Hoodoo Gurus ode to grave-robbing-romance, "Dig It Up". The Gurus did this as a cool Cramps rip-off, but here the energy is increased a notch or two and Rob's yelpin' and wailin' go way beyond rockabilly into pure rock'n'roll psychosis.

Drummer Jimmy Krah shows off some of his DJ Bonebrake inspired beats in "Stole Your Girl", a kinda modern take on the classic Bo Diddley beat mixed with jungle drums mixed with some vicious garage rock. The aptly-named "Bourbon Sway" makes you feel as if you are stumblin' drunk while diggin' on some cool riffs, power chords and plain noise! "Swing on This" starts as a rollickin' instrumental that takes it's ideas from a number of different places, including the "Courageous Cat Theme", though they still Psyatic-size it all! Then Rob comes in with some double-tracked preachin' and hollerin' and takes it to a whole 'nuther level!

There is some very nice interplay between all the cats in "Oncoming Train", with guitarist Jack Ball letting loose and riffin' around Krah's train-rollin' rhythms and Bell's lopping bass line. Ball displays a rarely seen side of himself (at least by the Vegas underground scene) when he pulls out his violin for "The Powder Monkey" - he is a classical violinist by trade! This tune is a sweetly powerful moody piece with some truly original changes and great melody and lyrics. Certainly a highlight of the record!

The Psyatics tackle a tango beat in "Right Amount of Wrong" that still manages to rock along with some strong licks from Ball's gitar. Another fine piece of psycho-killer Bell songwriting (I'm crediting him, but I know all of the cats contribute to make the tunes what they are - it's just his lyrics and melodies, as I understand) in "Evangaline" - kind of a part two of "Dig It Up", mixed with some Edgar Allen Poe. But back to the fierce, high-energy garage r'n'r with some piercing guitar and bluesy harmonica (by guest Eddie Joe Martin) in "Today's Big Thing" and then the riff-rock and feedback of "Clumsy" before a little more subtlety with "Rigid Digits"'s interweaving of instruments and the classic quiet/loud arrangement. They rave up for the ending with the afore-mentioned "Suzie Got a Stutter".

This is a helluva package! Great, interesting and creative rock'n'roll, a great "live" sound by Brian Garth from Chrome Werewolf, fine artwork, nice packaging and they even thank the Swamp Gospel! What more could you ask?! You know I'm gonna say that you need to get this and the guys are selling it for a mere pittance at their gigs! Vegas-ites - see them at the Double Down on Saturday May 11 (2013) for their record release party with more of the best that we have to offer - Fuzz Solow and the Tinglerz!