Tuesday 16 December 2008

Barracudas - Drop Out With The Barracudas

Making it onto Glamrock Aftershock via drummer Nick Turner's later role in the Lords Of The New Church (and if you're reading this in Australia and enjoying the sunshine, this is a great summer listen btw), Drop Out With the Barracudas is a fine album of two halves.

Side one leans towards a darker, brooding garage sound while side two (kicking off with the top 40 hit 'Summer Fun') sees the Barracudas 1980 take on the Beach Boys, but within a year of its release the rhythm section moved on (according to a piece on Noise For Heroes bassist David Buckley was pushed while Turner jumped ship). The subsequent Barracudas that emerged concentrated more on the garage sound (The Garbage Dump Tapes are also well worth a spin).

So if the ubiquitous Christmas music is getting to you, check out the Ba-ba-ra-ra-cu-cu-da-das - they'll soon put a smile back on your face.

2 comments:

Michael said...

I bought the American edition on vinyl many years ago on the advice of the Trouser Press Reocrd Guide and wasn't impressed. I've since warmed up more to the style of music they play and would love to give this another shot, but of course it's long OP in the states.

I dig singer Jeremy Gluck's album I Knew Buffalo Bill with Nikki Sudden too.

Mark E Moon said...

I only ever knew "Summer Fun" due to it's "one hit wonder" status, however inspired by your blog I have now tracked down a rather nice 2005 CD reissue which adds 12 bonus tracks and quite like it.