Rocket Roll on the mision transmission...

THE PHENOMENAUTS - "MISSION TRANSMISSION..."
("Springman Records"; 7''):

Here it is, the 7'' of THE PHENOMENAUTS that I've bought at their concert in the "Gearbox" in Braunschweig, just read the entry of yesterday (or so) to get some more informations about this happening, and now you get the review of this 7'' record to read. Like I've written already in the gig report of their mentioned concert they had been a totally unknown band to me before this concert and I can't really tell ya why, because they have already quite a impreeive bunch of releases out and I decided to buy their 7'' single, even it costed me 7,00 Euro and a CD (even their newest full length CD album) would have costed me just 3,00 Euro more (so, if ya're not that much into mathematics, a full length CD would have costed 10,00 Euro in total), but what shall I say, I'm a vinyl and especially a 7'' nerd, yehp, and so I got two tracks instead of something like ten or so of them, good deal, haha;-). Okay, the 7'' comes in white wax vinyl and with a big centre hole in the middle so that you need to have and use an 45 adapter to play and listen to it on your record player at home, yeahr, and that's damn cool old school, for sure!!! Great!!! And then also white vinyl, even more great!!! Ah, and before I forget it, this 7'' was recorded and released (don't ask me anything about the lael, I have not a singe clue at al about it...) already back in 2003, hm, but after it's my first record experience with them I will do a review of it anyhow. Yes, I'm so goddamn fucking egoistic, haha;-). Okay, two songs at all we do get. Side A(lpha) kicks off strong with their hymnal smasher (or smashing hymn) "I AM ROBOT" (even they use to sing "I am a robot...", I know), and that's a great combination of a strong classical Rockabilly rhythm as the concrete of this song, 'clicking' stand-up-bass and that typical Rockabilly drumming and also this typical Rockabilly rhythm structure, it's all there, and a great very strong Country sounding guitar lead dictates the direction of the song, that pretty soon gets cultivated with some great melodic and hymnal, yet dustdry and bonecracking old school Punkrock style of musical things, and made round by great guitar work, fantastic charismatic vocals and beefy back up shouts, as well as 'some clap-ya-hands-ta-this' stadium rock atmosphere. Cool!!! Full of energy and all that stuff that gives ya really a kick while you listen to it. Also cool is this Sci-Fi B-Movie atmosphere to it, even I really miss the keyboard somehow, what's really a pity. Then on side B(eta) they give us "ROCKET ROLL", I guess it's something like their (in)official (?) band hymn or something like this so. Strong Rockabilly and classical Rock & Roll influences, hm, it's pretty much this dance-your-ass-off Rock & Roll-a-Billy stuff with some strong Old School taste to it, hm, and somehow it reminds me very strong of all this "EIS AM STIEL" (= "ESKIMO LIMON", in english) movies (the music, the atmosphere, the attitude, etc. pp.). And again I miss the keyboard!!! Damn it!!! (I know, ya can make me go mad and bad pretty quick if ya not do what I expect rom ya and prefer ya to do, haha;-)!!!) It's a solid track but not comparable respectively 'matchable' to their great anthem "I AM ROBOT" and to other songs of them (I know from their already one or two times mentioned concert in Braunschweig), but anyhow a pretty cool track, don't understand me wrong. Okay, one great song and one solid song, hm, I guess that's making this 7'' here at least a really good record and one that you should try to get a hold on and grab it. Really a great band, hm, and I have no clue from where in Germany you can get releases of THE PHENOMENAUTS but at least write to the band and ask them if ya find nowhere over here in good old Germoney a possibility to order a record of them. Enough said, fucking good stuff!!! Ah, the artwork looks great (but it sucks that the lyrics aren't printed, hm, but okay, the 'Star-Destroyer' of the old "STAR WARS" trilogy fills this void anyhow, even it seems to be wrecked, haha;-)...), and the old school style and pretty dirty and earthy production sound fits perfect to the music and sounds great. Ah, and finally again one hell of a damn good band from sunny California, USA. Okay, anyhow, if ya ak me, don't think twice, better just get it asap, point and fact!!! (And check them also out live!!!) (8 of 10 points)

(Contact I: http://www.phenomenauts.com/)

(Contact II: http://www.myspace.com/thephenomenauts)

After I've already posted the (official) video clip of "I AM ROBOT" before and I can't find a clip of respctively to "ROCKET ROLL" but wanting to give ya another video clip of them anyhow you now get their clip to their great and very much Punkrock-sounding song "MISSION" (should be the official video clip), and also the brilliant Keyboard sounds and playing are there, phenomenal!!!

THE PHENOMENAUTS - "MISSION"