Full Time Men - Your Face My Fist

So, after playing with the Fleshtones and going to see Funkadelic, I have been perusing the "F" section of my albums and remembered this 1988 gem. Essentially a side project for the 'Tones guitarist Keith Streng, this record also features other F-tones Bill (drums), Gordon (sax, RIP) and then-bassist Robert, as well as a couple of guest spots by singer Peter. But, this was originally a collaboration with REM's Pete Buck and here he ropes in the Lyres' Monoman, Stiv Bators and members of the Hoodoo Gurus, Smithereens and more.

The sound, unsurprisingly, is quite similar to the Fleshtones mix of garage and rockin' soul, although a bit heavier and with less pop melodies. With blasters like the opening "Nothing's Gonna Stop Our Train", the stompin' "Southern Twitch", the powerful "Wreckin' Ball", their theme song "Full Time Men", the excellently un-PC "High On Drugs" and plenty of others. The covers are wildly rockin', from Humble Pie's "Four Day Creep", to the Creation's "Making Time" to Marvin Gaye's "Baby Don't Do It" to a remake of an early Fleshtones' classic, "Critical List" (definitely improved here with better sound and a more solid performance).

There's a lot of the 'Tones usual tricks - group vocals, Gary Glitter-ish stompin' beats, danceable soul sounds and just pure rock'n'roll. I saw a review claiming that this was one of the better Fleshtones albums from this period and I can't really argue that - although I have always dug their releases. In any case, this is a monster and my only complaint is that it goes by way too fast! I dunno if it has been reissued on CD at this point but it is well worth searchin' out!