Amphetamine Ballads

The Amazing Snakeheads
Amphetamine Ballads
Reviewed by BravoMarco

Debut release from this Scottish band that is about as in you face as you can get. There’s no trying to hide the Glaswegian brogue here. The sound is loud & dirty. Can’t really escape the comparisons to many legendary bands, although they do it well enough to get by. Hard-edged psychobilly mixed in with a punkish spirit. Vocals spit out the sentiments with great gusto. For sure, he sounds like a youthful Nick Cave at times, but what’s wrong with that…Would love to see them live. This lot could be big. Similar to: Birthday Party, Cramps, Gun Club, Meteors, Sid Presley Experience…et al. Perfect for many shows on KZSU: Liking them all: Loving 1&10
FCC’s *1,7,8 Others are fine

1) *I’m A Vampire (3:36) Gong intro (Cramps) & then onto a real grimy grubby laid-back rocking frenzy. Screaming voice adds to the revelry. Pity the one FCC (fuckin’)
2) Nightime (3:09) The Cure’s “Love Cats” without the niceness & the smudged lipstick.
3) Swamp Song (3:46) Creeping mid paced assault with repeated lines.
4) Here It Comes Again (3.37) Slow build up to fast head-nodding bliss.
5) Flatlining (5.15) Rumbles along really nicely with some brass adding to the power, changes up towards the end.
6) Where Is My Knife? (4:45) Back to basics strutting rockabilly. Very accessible.
7) *Every Guy Wants To Be Her Baby (7.11) Slow & atmospheric for the first 4 minutes (fuck & bitch) then gets really going (motherfucker) fcc’s galore
8) *Memories (5:11) Mellower feel that doesn’t quite get going for me. More raunchy towards the end (bullshit)
9) Heading For Heartbreak (5.39) Slow, almost angst ridden for first 2 minutes then stops & starts for the remainder. Johnny Cash-esque
10) Tiger By The Tail (6.47) Genteel & relaxed balladeering with female backing. Has that Quentin Tarantino film pick about it. An expectation of it going berserk any second gives it that extra quality (it doesn’t speed up at all)