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Rating: I remember discovering the Hormonauts almost by chance. I met a friend of mine who sings in a Motorhead cover band, and he told me that the following weekend the Hormonauts would be playing nearby. I had never heard of them before.
Driven by curiosity, I went to see them... and I was blown away!
The Hormonauts, led by Scottish (adopted Bolognese) Andy McFarlane (singer and guitarist), have been labeled as "the new Stray Cats", but I believe that’s an unfair label. Sure, the musical genre is the same rockabilly, but the Hormonauts are not afraid to break free from a single genre, and they fearlessly let themselves be influenced by other genres (from hard rock to reggae, even punk), "shaking" them all together into a cocktail on the verge of psychobilly, demonstrating a unique musical personality.
"Mini-Skirt" is the band’s second album, and it’s a damn fun album. You start listening to it, and you can't stop until it's over, and you might even want to listen to it again immediately: there are no slow songs on the album, and the rhythms leave you no escape. Among all the songs, the title track, the cover "Tainted Love" (and, guys, this is a real cover, reinterpreted, not just copied!!!), and "I See Two" stand out (the CD also includes the video from the song), but "Hormone HOP", "A Life Time Away", "The Girl at the Station Bar", "Hot Rod Tattoo", and other songs are not easily forgotten.
The Hormonauts are certainly not aiming to compose deep and reflective songs, and consequently, the lyrics are lighthearted, fun, and very often comedic (emblematic in this regard is "I See Two"). McFarlane’s (sometimes distorted) guitar and voice blend effortlessly with the slap bass of Sasso Battaglia and the exceptional drumming of Paolo Peddis.
The goal of the Bolognese trio is clearly to have fun, and what better way to entertain others? Many try, but few succeed: the Hormonauts have become masters at this.
Tracklist and Videos
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