High Beams - Hallucination LP

The High Beams give us an abrasive half-hour blast of no-nonsense, crunchy, seedy, Heartbreakers-inspired thuggery, all lashing and crackling rock n roll.  For those not in the know, this band contains MATT MAYO of the late great MULLENS.   While ex-band mates The Sunday Drunks seem to go down a more Stonesy / Stooges sludgy sideroad, The High Beams floor it recklessly along some central highway out of nowheresville and hit the amphetamine addled alleyways rushing around amongst the dust and dirt of big city shitsville. From "Look At Her Run's" soundtracking, a gas guzzling, tarmac-eating journey, through "Defend Me" (choice lines: "She loves to be with the boys in the band, loves to give them a helping hand, she's giving the singer a great big thrill 'cos his drummer passed out on a handful of pills") and "Nothing Good", through to the howling, pounding comedown paranoia of the title track, complete with a tidy little stop/start guitar line, and "Living To Die". While none of them are devoid of melody, far from it, with the insistent, nagging melody of "Tell Somebody", only at the end does Mr. Mayo reveal more of a pure pop edge, with "Rocking Horses". I admit at first I thought "Oh here we go again" but for no-frills, no holds barred rock n roll, I haven't heard much better recently. Top one here chaps.
(Dead Beat/ 2002)