Customer Reviews

Gotham Garage: The Best New Rock from NYC & the Northeast

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Holy Hell!!! If you love the likes of Jon-Spencer, The Seeds, The Sonics, The Greenhornes or are infatuated with Little Stevens Coolest Songs in The World set, then you are in for a HUGE treat. Gotham Garage is chocked full of some of the best Underground Garage Rock Bands! Female and Male!!! The collection finds the balance between unrefined and unrelenting Rock n Roll!! And me being on the West Coast where the 60's garage scene was so popular, I have heard my share and, this collection of new North East Punk and Garage rock will not disappoint! It's catchy, canny and cool! Check it out!

Rising from the ashes of the New York City punk scene, Charm School is a powerful quartet that has been rocking New York City for some time now, but not in the cheesy faux-glam kind of way that most unsigned acts have been throwin' down lately. Their songs are killer pieces of punk rock splendor without so much as a piece of pretense.

The band's contribution to this album is a fired up piece of work called Trust Fund and clearly relays a single message - punk is alive and well and living in New York City.

There is little doubt that they have their formula well down. Tina Pedersen (lead vocals), Frankie Perugorria (drums), Yoav Sassoun (guitar) and Steve Mach (bass) play straight-ahead, no-frills intense punk rock. The magic that is Charm School is out to generate new interest in a genre whose bands offer too little too late. This is one determined band and the music is gaining strength as a driving force. Their newest record, More Of The Dumb Stuff will probably leave a smoking crater where my apartment used to be. Their songs retain both the familiar melodic choruses and driving rhythms without sacrificing a thing. These days, it's rare to find a band whose bark and bite could appease both the ardent 16-year-old teen as well as the hardened, oft disappointed middle-aged punk rocker who has watched all of his heroes go down in flames. Charm School is out to stop the bleeding and do a damn fine job! For intelligently crafted punk rock that has something for everyone, this outfit is one to watch.

Charm School is one killer punk rock band. Their talent and extraordinary songwriting ability is prevalent throughout the entire recording. Each song is a complete story all rolled up into about mere minutes and gives you a peek into the lives and minds of these very talented musicians. The drums are always dead-on, the guitar boils under the surface of a fast bass line and the vocals sound so good. Charm School has come up with an album that deserves your undivided attention, not only because of the sound, but also because the band is unpretentious and has an unassuming style that pretends to be nothing more than straight up punk ...definitely worth your time ...check it out! More Of The Dumb Stuff is potent stuff!

The band has craftily created an unblemished sound that translates excellently when you see them live. Get ready to digest some feedback, tight musicianship and sit back for a robust musical meal. Charm School is a lost-love punk dream, something any new fan would love to hear incorporated into mix of repetitious and redundant railroading ...this is what punk rock should be! Take great texture and atmosphere, combine with capable (lyrically and sonically) musicians, add some uplifting bass lines and you've got a portrait of Charm School. Musical genius and diversity with an optimistic and fun-loving vibe packed with vibrancy and energy as well as nicely woven musicianship, tight melodies and rhythms.

At the very least, you can't help but be inspired by a band that manages to live in the wallowing superficial decay of image-conscience New York City, filled to the brim with psuedo punks, ska-punk and hardcore. Charm School remains simple and true. Not ever angry to numb the senses ...but, powerful enough to get a groove going these guys have potentially got the best mix of old-school punk and good 80's arena rock going. Solid as Fort Knox with excellent fretwork and tight rhythms, they pull off the difficult musical task of sounding familiar without plagiarizing any world famous rock band. Charm School hit all the right pockets and anyone that digs punk should dig this band.