Teenage Head

This is another CD that I've meant to write about for ages. These Canadian 70's punk band, named after the Flamin' Groovies song, of course, looked like a mix of glam and punk and sang highly melodic tunes with plenty of 50's and 60's influences.

"You're Tearing Me Apart" blasts out with plenty of high energy attitude, cool riffs and an impossibly catchy chorus. Chris Spedding was involved with the recording (I seem to remember that maybe he did some shows with them, as well) and this has the kind of stripped-down, guitar-dominated sound that Chris was known for. More of the same coolness follows in "Ain't Got No Sense", with a hip "oh-oh" chorus and some wild guitar noise. Stealing from one of the best, Eddie Cochran, they swoop into "Bonerack" - no idea what the title means, as it is nowhere in the song, which, lyrically, is about mental illness. Odd, but rockin'! Probably one of their best known is "Picture My Face", a classic 60's/70's-styled punk rock'n'roll song - great groove and great sound. The bizarrely titled "Lucy Potato" is a frantic rocker, as is "Little Boxes", another title that has nothing to do with the song (that I can tell), whose tag line is about "alimony". Canadian humor, maybe?

Not quite as crazed, but still solidly rockin', is "Curtain Jumper", with some nice Johnny Thunders-esque leads, but back to the mania for "Top Down" while still maintaining the catchiness. "Get Off My Back" doesn't have quite the same sing-along quality, but it still barrels along, and then "Kissin' the Carpet" ("with my face") starts off as a harmonica-led blues number before turning into another TH rocker - and the harp comes back for the rockin' outro! Bonus tracks include the powerhouse "Disgusteen" (cool title and great song with rippin' guitar!) and other takes on "You're Tearin' Me Apart" (even faster), "Bonerack", "Lucy Potato" and "Top Down".

Canada did have a small but thriving punk scene in the 70's and these cats - along with the Diodes - are some of the best. This is the only record I've heard though and the interwebs tells me that there are several more. I'd be interested in hearing if they're as cool.