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Stiv Bators:
L.A. Confidential
Bomp! has come back to us, and amidst some of the best new bands releases this past year, they present another reissue of early Stiv Dead Boy Bators solo recordings. L.A. Confidential was his second and final solo venture following the death of the Dead Boys and preceding the birth of Lords of the New Church. Containing material collected from Greg Shaw recording sessions between 77 and 80, this is quite close in content to his other solo outing. So yes, his transition from drunk, spit-ridden punk to dark, dismal goth punk consisted of doo-wop inspired power pop. The album kicks off with a song worthy of securing a spot on the soundtrack of all soundtracks American Graffiti. Originally penned by the Choir, Its Cold Outside is a classic beach tune made even more weighty and classic by Mr. Bators. On this album, Stiv and company unabashedly show their love for old 50s and 60s retro garage rock a classic sound put to tribute. More Nuggets-eque than snot-driven, both of these albums could not have found a better resting place than Bomp! Records. This represents a good, worthy final epitaph for all Bators fans out there to enjoy a betrayal of his true, soft, music-loving self. I can just picture him grinning at us right now. These sessions were about as boozey and substance-filled as they come; maybe an experiment to really capture the true sound and meaning of rock and roll, or maybe just plain recklessness, but what was uncovered out of these tapes are true gems. All are standout, exceptional tracks, but one of the most unexpected tracks is L.A. L.A., a drunken, improvised, party-sung, four a.m. rendition of Louie Louie with Bators own snide personal touch. Crack Boom Bam even has a reverbed, lazy sax solo thrown into the middle of the track. Story in Your Eyes is done so convincingly and heartfelt that I cant believe its coming from the same Stiv I know from other recordings. This version of Have Love Will Travel is backed by non other than Charlie Sexton and the Little Kings; yes, it is strange. A demo version of Ill Stand Accused, has a wonderful retro-pop sound with a swingin rhythm and bright, upbeat guitar; this song alone makes the albums purchase worthy. Again, this albums liner notes, like the first, are a good trip down memory lane and are worth the read. Its a really good, fun album, perfect for bringin on the summer.
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