Saturday, May 16, 2009

The Von Bondies : Pawn Shoppe Heart 2004


Members

Jason Stollsteimer: Vocals and guitar
Leann Banks: Bass guitar and vocals
Christy Hunt: Guitar and vocals
Don Blum: Drums and percussion

Past members

Lauren Wilcox: Bass guitar (2001)
Carrie Ann Smith: Bass guitar and vocals, (2001-2004)
Yasmine Smith: Bass guitar and vocals, touring member (2004-2006)
Marcie Bolen: Guitar, (2001-2006)
Alicia Gbur: Guitar, keyboards, vocals, touring member (November 2007-March 2008)
Matt Lannoo: Guitar, touring member (November 2007-March 2008)


In 2000 Jason Stollsteimer attended a concert by Japanese garage punk band " Guitar Wolf " with Marcie Bolen . At the time , Stollsteimer was working a job as a bowling alley bartender and Marcie as a hair dresser . The performance spurred him to create his own band , " The Baby Killers " , which toured with fellow Detroit bands " The Detroit Cobras " , " The Go " and " The White Stripes " . After recruiting Lauren Wilcox on bass and Don Blum on drums the band changed their name to the Von Bondies .


With their White Stripes connection now shattered , the Von Bondies have been seeking their own space , away from Detroit's hipster scene . Their sense of liberation is evident in Pawn Shoppe Heart , one of the brashest, most flamboyant releases in ages , far surpassing the band's intense , misanthropic debut Lack of Communication . The main reason for this is Stollsteimer himself . Now an assured showman and writer , he possesses an archness and brazen faithlessness that recalls glam rock greats David Johansen and Mike Monroe and his delivery of songs ranging from garage grind through bubblegum rock tomore… shrieking blues is marked by a stylish feel for wit and rhythm . Happily held in check by producer and ex-Talking Head Jerry Harrison , the band back their singer with a tight and spiky performance , guitarist Marcie Bolen and bassist Carrie Smith adding vocal sass and sexual balance to such gems as " C'mon C'mon " , " Tell Me What You See " and the excellent " Not That Social " . They also shine during the thudding , rough-house blues of " Mairead " , " Right of Way " and their raging cover of " Try a Little Tenderness " , which arrives after what is apparently the closing title track . Pawn Shoppe Heart is an impressively dirty major-label debut .

( Dominic Wills )

Trakx

1. No Regrets
2. Broken Man
3. C'mon C'mon
4. Tell Me What You See
5. Been Swank
6. Mairead
7. Not That Social
8. Crawl Through the Darkness
9. The Fever
10. Right of Way
11. Poison Ivy
12. Pawn Shoppe Heart
13. Try a Little Tenderness

Size 91 MB
Bitrate 320

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