Customer Reviews

Gravest Hits & Psychedelic Jungle

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Psychadelic Jungle" is slower than the band's first LP "Songs the Lord Taught Us", but is in many ways sleazier than that album. It projects more of a swampy, drugged-up image of the 50s. And thats what the Cramps are - you're favorite classic Rockabilly artist on too many hits of LSD. The slower tempo makes this album possibly the sleaziest and most intimidating work by the Cramps. There is certainly a high abundance of classic songs on this album, and it contains several of what are the Cramps' best covers ("Goo Goo Muck", "The Crusher", "The Way I Walk"). This and "Songs the Lord Taught Us" are probably the best places to start with if you're getting into the Cramps. The accompanying EP "Gravest Hits" is a great collection of cover tunes, each one better than the original. Rockabilly is the purest form of rock 'n' roll there is, and the Cramps are one of the purest rock 'n' roll bands ever.

The only real rock album ever recorded. Furious mixture of not being able to play, not being able to produce, not being able to sing and a genuine lust for life,death and being bad.

Some people like "Gravest Hits." But for my money, "Psychedelic Jungle" represents the Cramps' masterwork. Swampy, bluesy, dark and menacing. One, er, critic called it racist. Could be that says more about him than it does about the Cramps. Anyhow, this album shows that these voodoobilly idols not only ooze, they rock.

10 stars.

This music is slimey, grungy and slow. A mix of all the different styles I like in music. Cramps are what got me into Psychobilly. Though it is slower than most of their other music its not bad slow its the good slow. The creepy crawly horror where you know the monster is around the corner and you wait in breathless anticipation until the thing pounces. That feeling of anticipation is like what you get listening to this album. Most of them are covers like Ronnie Cook's slopper "The Goo Goo Muck", the garage classic by Randy Alvey "The Green Fuz", they do great justice to the genius masterpiece by the Novas "The Crusher" and the Trashmen's great "Sufrin' Bird" among others. There is originals on this album it is great sludgy music I'd expect nothing less from the psychobilly masters

I don't want to reveal how many years I've owned this CD or the LPs before it...too many moons have risen. The previous reviews covered everything I agree with, but I'd also like to add that though the music is slower, it gets you moving. You can't sit still! The grinding beat, sexual and stimulating, and the lyrics...well, you just have to decide that for yourself, are too cool!
"Goo Goo Muck" was my daughter's favorite song when she was 2-years-old, and she sang "Green Door" at a party when she was 4-years-old to an astonished, older crowd (It being an old song with questionable meaning). Even small children know "swell" music when they hear it. I weaned mine on the greats.
It seems most Cramps fans enjoy the same songs; likely due to superior-minded aficionados seeking musical perfection.
The Cramps' performances are something to be seen as well: bizarre, sexually-charged, hard to forget.
This CD is a great place to start. I have introduced many people to Cramps-style rock...invariably, they always get hooked (especially on Goo Goo Muck).
Don't forget the kiddies!

Some of the band's more recent fans may not realize that this is an actual 2-on-1 CD reissue,of their very first effort,the five track EP 'Gravest Hits'('79) with well done covers like Roy Orbison's "Domino",Trashmen's "Sufrin' Bird" and the Ricky Nelson hit "Lonesome Town".But first,you get the band's second full length lp,'Psychedelic Jungle'('81) with killer rockabilly pieces the Cramps themselves have totally mastered such as "Goo Goo Muck","Rockin' Bones","Caveman",the catchy "Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk" and "Green Door".An absolute must-have for any and all true Cramps fans.Get it!Look at that used price.A priceless work in music history,sort of.

The Cramps tap deep and sure into the trashy American aesthetic of monster movies, T'n'A exploitation flicks, voodoo zombies and horror comics. From the inhuman, camp-creepiness of "Human Fly" and the punked-out cover of "Domino" to the eerie twang of "The Natives Are Restless" and "Primitive," PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE and the earlier EP, GRAVEST HITS is a classic. Singer Lux Interior comes across as a pompadoured cross between Vincent Price and Elvis Presley, with a little Bela Lugosi and the Crypt Keeper thrown in too. His amour Poison Ivy keeps that primal rhythm with her inimitable guitar. This is great music for strolling through a graveyard, or getting lost in the bayou. It's sexy, macabre, and funny as hell...END

You`ve heard of them,you`ve read about them and you have no idea what the Cramps are or what they sound like.Garage,punk,rockabilly,surf and early rock and roll is what most will say they are but don`t be fooled.....this is great music by a great band.This disc is a good cross section of better known songs,covers and rarities and make this a perfect starting point for first timers.Live is the best way to experience them but this disc is the best place to start.
The core remains Lux on vocals and Poison Ivy on guitar,with a sneer to make even the toughest punks feel threatened.
This is rock and roll stripped down to the basics...a couple of chords,alot of attitude and the big beat - even my sixty something year old uncle digs the Cramps.Fun and reasonably priced...get yours today.

Not only is this the BEST Cramps album, but it's one of my all-time faovrite albums. It's one of those records that has never grown old after thousands of plays.

There are Cramps original compositions (CAVEMAN is classic - "look man, make tool, caveman NO FOOL!!!!) and TONS of cover tunes, but they make the cover tunes their own with the Cramps style. A classic album. I like SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US, but it's little more 'scratchy' and high end.

To quote some of the liner note adjectives, Psychedelic Jungle throbs, bumps, oozes, lurches and is heavy all-around good time rockabilly.

I'm a drummer and I continually love to hear Nick Knox beat the skins on this record. Fun stuff. My band has covered GREEN DOOR and THE CRUSHER from this album. Of course, these are covers for the CRAMPS too, but we love the way the CRAMPS perform them.

If you enjoy this album, then get THE MUMMIES 'NEVER BEEN CAUGHT" another classic. Thanks for reading.

You get the true essence of The Cramps with this jewel. The Cramps are like the cockroaches of Rock-n-Roll....primitive and perfect. You can listen to them on a tape recorder made in 1985 and they still sound great. Do tunes get any better than "Human Fly"?? Buy this, you won't regret it. The Big Guy downstairs has a soft spot for The Cramps and so should you.