The Holy Smokes - Live in the Garage

This 2004 release was "recorded live in our garage with borrowed mics and beat up gear", so it doesn't have the same fidelity as their terrific Never Give It Up, but it is another fun romp through their version of garage-based blues (or is that blues-based garage?).

Luke kicks things off with his garage-y singalong, "Cruel Cruel Love" and its hip dynamics and guitar/harp interplay. Jeffrey turns in a frantic cow-punk/rockabilly-ish number with "Know How To Use It" (great guitar and harp here), there's a hyper punk/garage/pop tune in "Scars Turn To Stars" and then they slow things down for a moody, minor-key, surf-blues, "Ripped and Torn Out Pages" - really nice riffage and writing here.

They pull out some country-fried, high-voltage, rockabilly-riffed blues for "Back Down the Road" (kind of a take on "Hot Rod Lincoln", sorta-kinda), then change gears for a Ramones/Real Kids bit of pop-punk in "I Got a Girl" (excellent, catchy, well-written tune - Luke can certainly create a pop classic when he wants to!), followed by a rough'n'ready, hard-edged garage riffer in "Born To Lose" (is that a bit of spooky organ in the background? Nice touch!) that ends with a wild rave-up and then for the finale, they pull out another poundin' bit of blues-y garage, "White Horse" - highly rockin' and a fun finish.

These cats really were top-notch all around - love everyone's playing (Jeffrey on harp, Luke on bass, guitarist Joel and drummer Jesus) and the songwriting is really a step above. Get the CD's if you can find them and be on the lookout for reunion gigs!