Customer Reviews

Take a Good Look

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

 

 

A squealing farfisa, barely in time hand claps, raggedy harmonies, the Fleshtones are back!!!! "The who?!?" you might ask yourself. I feel for you. Asking that very question is admitting your life has been devoid of the purest brand of R&R up till now. The Fleshtones have been giving it up for years. They played CBGB's when Kurt Cobain was still crapping his pants. They blew the Ramones and Blondie of stage when the word Punk had yet to be invented. The Fleshtones were still R&R by the time the Stones traded their sex & drugs for spring water and health spas. They outlived many of Punk Rock's heroes and there seems to be no stopping them yet. Though years of scrambled together tours and albums, through years of high spirits and the lowest of lows, through thousands of sweat drenched R&R dives and dozens of guaranteed hitless albums, the Fleshtones have been the uncrowned kings of R&R. So you'd better take a good look at what you missed all those years.

The Fleshtones have come a long way since they spawned from Brooklyn's seediest of basements. Their brand of Garage took them all over the world touring in obscurity. For some strange reason they became super stars in Paris. But then again the French are strange. But in any other country in the world they've been R&R's biggest promise for the last thirty odd years. Some bands would change their formula when confronted with the amounts of set backs the Fleshtones had to deal with. But they are not your ordinary band. They will simply keep doing what they do best, just as long as it takes for you to get it stupid! The minute the needle hits the first groove on the record, you'll know the boys haven't changed their game, though they might have perfected it a little further. Make no mistake, the raggedy mess you'll hear on "Take A Good Look" is the Fleshtones at their slickest. This album finds the band playing tighter than they ever have, finds them crashing into their songs with the greatest conviction, with a production that is on par with their finest work. In other words, they are still trying to keep up with their R&B heroes and failing gloriously. Taking you down with howling harmonica solos, blazing sax honking, rollicking piano strides, scotching guitar riffs, worn down vocals and just a little more sweat for comfort. This is what R&R is supposed to be, what it needs to be. R&R isn't pleasant, no matter what your FM radio is trying to tell you, R&R is the jumbled mess that is the Fleshtones.

It is rare to find a band so consistent as the Fleshtones. You can pick up almost any record of theirs and get exactly what you expected. The best dose of pure R&R that will have you bopping through the room. The Watusi, the Penguin, the Funky Chicken, the Tighten Up, you'll find yourself doing all those crazy dances even if you never knew how. "Shiney Hiney" is a piece of R&R poetry that would make the Ramones proud, "Going Back To School" with its throbbing base will have the Stones hiding in shame, "New York City" is the great classic Gary 'US' Bonds never wrote, "Jet Set Fleshtones" makes the Faces look like they don't know Pub-Rock. In a better world the latter would rocket up to the top of the charts. The rudimentary farfisa licks, the vicious guitar riffing, the clunky tambourine, are catchier than they should be. Look out! They are indeed the Jet Set Fleshtones, everybody move on up and take a real good look at what you denied yourself all those years. Take a good look, because the Fleshtones are breaking through, dragging you into their world howling and screaming. Pick up the record and get cool online extras from their record company Yep Roc records, see them in a town near you, let them sink in through a blue wale haze. Don't try to fight it the Fleshtones will make it feel good to feel!!!

After one listen it is clear that the Fleshtones have again successfully transplanted the heart, soul and testicles of the true American ROCK alive, spitting and shouting into the 21st century. Great, catchy, sing-along garage-style songs delivered in the Fleshtones road-tested style. A very solid performance from the boys. You want it.

"Take A Good Look!" is first rate Fleshtones! Plenty of great tunes, especially "Back to School" and "Jet-Set Fleshtones" and no filler. 12 songs clocking in at 31 minutes, perfect. If they play anywhere near where you live, check them out, always a killer Super Rock show.

The Fleshtones ROCK. Throw this in your CD player for an instant party. Must have. This is their best album by far. High energy stuff from a band that's been at it for 30 years. Standout tracks are "Feels Good To Feel", "Love Yourself", "Back To School" and "First Date". Twangy/fuzztone guitars, harmonica and Farfisa organ abound on this garage-rock how-to. Buy it soon. More importantly, catch them live if they come to your town.

Because radio is LAME and has been for decades!!! After seeing these guys play live for over 25 years, they still amaze me! This new CD is either their best or up there with "Roman Gods," "Hexbreaker" & "More than skin deep"
Buy this record cuz you wont be let down, if you are let down, its probably due to you liking some whimpy form of "safe" music!!!!

Like the title says, TAKE A GOOD LOOK!!

Can these tireless NYC rockers really have come up with the best album of their 30+ year career? You can bet on it, baby.

From the very first note (or, in this case Kieth Streng's shouted "COME ON!!!") kicking off the opening track "First Date (Are you coming On To Me?)", it is clear that the Fleshtones have not lost one bit of energy, even as they head into their 50's. This is a true Super-Rock recording that does more than beckon you to dance - it COMMANDS you to.

The one issue I have with this album, however, is the same issue that is probably the reason why the Fleshtones never broke big (and probably never will, even if this album deserves widespread attention) - quite simply, Peter Zaremba has never been a very good singer. He is a phenomenal vocalist, but he has always had trouble staying completely on pitch. And bassist Ken Fox (who sings track 5, "This Time Josephine,") doesn't have a particularly stong voice either. In fact, one of the big positive apsects of "Take A Good Look" is the fact that Keith Streng is so prominently featured as lead vocalist. He sings lead on three tracks, and two of those ("Shiney Heinie" and "Never Grew Up") are up with the best songs in the collection.

I don't give this album 5 stars for two reasons: 1) some sketchy vocals; and 2) a couple of tracks are only so-so. But as Fleshtones albums go, this one really has everything a rock fan could want. The title track, sung/spoken by Peter, and the aforementioned "Never Grew Up" are two of the most sincere, passionate statements of purpose in the band's history.

If you know anyone who thinks the Hives and the Strokes are the greatest thing going ... give 'em this album and let 'em see how the veterans do it.

It's hard to believe that these guys can rock so hard given their age. Or is it? Don't middle age people have things they want to express? These guys have touched the nerve of real rock n roll and this album to me is up there with any great rock album ever made. Better than any previous Fleshtones album. Drumming and singing, committed playing, fun, I'm glad this band never burned out or sold out. What Springsteen, the Who, the Stones, the Stooges got only at their peak is what this album has. I've listened to 1000s of albums and this is one of the best.

This is great old fashion powered up rock with lots of energy and pulling in all that a small band can do with great guitars, drums and even a classic harmonica sound on "Love Yourself" and the singer has a great time as evidenced by his power voice most evident in "Back To School" ("getting my edujamacation"). A nice touch of the raw simple and fun rock sound of the past revved up for today. If your listening in your car, just watch your speedometer because they will power you up with a joyrous sound.