Various Artists - The Northwest Battle Of The Bands. Volume 2. Knock You Flat! (@320)

 

Various Artists - The Northwest Battle Of The Bands. Volume 2. Knock You Flat!

The Northwest Battle of the Bands, Vol. 2: Knock You Flat! [Beat Rocket/Sundazed] Review by Richie Unterberger.

All 25 of these 1963-1967 tracks were generated by the mini-empire of Jerry Dennon, who recorded numerous Northwest bands for issue on his own labels or lease to others. Not one of these tunes made a national impact, and even if you have a good number of '60s garage anthologies on your shelves, you may well have heard of none of these bands, besides the Sonics and perhaps Don and the Goodtimes. As garage comps go, it's middle-of-the-pack, but respectable, aided by a concentration on original material rather than covers. Most Northwest bands -- including most of those on this CD -- were distinguished from other regions by a heavier R&B influence and lumpier backbeats, although they did pick up some accoutrements of the bluesier side of the British Invasion in fuzz guitar lines, harmonica, harmonies, Animals-/Them-style organs, and blustery vocals. There's nothing here that screams shoulda-been-hit (or even forgotten gem), but it pounds along pretty authoritatively, with some occasional eyebrow-raising weirdness, as in the Bards' cuckoo version of "My Generation," which is actually one of the best covers ever of this familiar standard. As far as some unusual pre-fame names, Larry Coryell is the guitarist on the Checkers' 1963 R&B instrumental "Black Cat," while the New Yorkers, one of the poppiest acts here on their 1967 single "Again," would evolve into the Hudson Brothers.

Tracklist:

1. Move Over & Let Me Fly - Live Five

2. I Should Know - Tom Thumb / Casuals

3. High Time - The Sonics

4. Hey Girl - The Bumps

5. Knock You Flat - The Dimensions

6. My Generation - The Bards

7. Daddy Walked in Darkness - Gil Bateman

8. Please Come Down - The Bumps

9. Get Yourself Home - The Liberty Party

10. Who Do You Love - Jack Horner & The Plums / Jack Horner / The Plums

11. Sorry Charlie - The Scotsmen

12. Black Cat - The Checkers

13. Mercy Mercy - Mercy Boys

14. Try Me - The Moguls

15. Tough Enough - The Scotsmen

16. Louie, Louie - Don & the Goodtimes

17. I've Searched - The Juveniles

18. Louise - The Raymarks

19. Alki Point - The Jesters

20. Again - The New Yorkers

21. You Better Slow Down - The Heirs

22. Another Side - The Nu-Dimensions

23. Alice Designs - Mr. Lucky & the Gamblers

24. Little Sally Tease - Don & the Goodtimes

25. You Got Your Head on Backwards - The Sonics

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