Damned drummer Rat Scabies and Flipron and Neville Staple guitarist Billy Shinbone’s garage pop act The Sinclairs are back with more surf rock inspired tunes, but this time they’ve brought a host of guest vocalists with them.
Comedian, actor and fan of one of our favourite acts XTC Kevin Eldon drops by for vocals on Monkey S Tails.
Meanwhile Yoshiko Fujiyama and Akiko Omo from garage punk act The 5,7,8’s appear on Too Much Time.
The Black Lips’ Zumi Rosow takes her turn behind the mic on opener If You Don’t Want To Watch This Don’t Open Your Eyes, while Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) features on The Colonel.
And there’s more with Roger Chapman, from 60s iconic band Family singing on How Much Is The Dust.
As with their 2020 debut Sparkle, Shinbone’s reverbed guitar shines bright throughout, while Scabies drumming adds to the feeling you are in a David Lynch film noir, viewing a crazed Dennis Hopper through the gaps in a wardrobe.
Hearing Chapman’s vocals again so many decades from his heyday on How Much Is The Dust is among many highlights. There’s a vulnerability and strength to his vocals that reminded me of Bill Fay, on his similarly triumphant recent return to disc.
The crazed instrumental Ultra Splendid is another highpoint. Fans of The Wave Pictures and Billy Childish’s wonderful album Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon from 2015, will particularly like this Sinclairs track.
Eldon’s spooky laugh on Monkey S Tails is another highlight, while Too Much Time is straight from the mid 1960s, as Fujiyama and Omo help create what could have easily been a forgotten garage gem from decades past.
A strong follow up to The Sinclairs’ debut, with a new dimension added to their retro movie soundtrack sound through the wide array of iconic guest singers who took part. One wonders who they will draft in for album three.
The Sinclairs – Long Slow Death Of A Cigarette is released on Cleopatra Records.
By Joe Lepper
Related Posts
