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And then came, in the mid-'60s, garage rock to give meaning to the Marshalls, to redeem the basement rats who spent entire days breaking strings, to give new life to nostalgic veterans of handcrafted rock, to the new "do it yourself" crowd, and primarily to justify, indeed, to legitimize the concept that dirty, sparse, and raw is beautiful. Let's make it lo-fi! The Sonics, The Chocolate Watchband, 13th Floor Elevators, The Stooges, and many other bands were pioneers of a genre that still fascinates and creates legions of followers worldwide.
The Von Bondies could not remain indifferent to such magnificence. Recklessness and fervor have accompanied, since their debut, this brash Detroit quartet that, in apparent anachronism, in the past '00s decade released "Lack of Communication" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2001), an old-school garage rock that defies trends, genres, tendencies, and fearlessly does not shy away from comparisons with their illustrious, admirable predecessors and fellow citizens MC5.
Formed in 1997 as The Baby Killers, they later became The Von Bondies ["It's a composite name that refers to and pays homage to the man who invented radar, the man who invented the switch, and the woman who stole my car last week..." (Jason Stollsteimer)].
Adopted and produced by Jack White (The White Stripes), "Lack Of Communication," as the title suggests, is a bitter reflection on the alienation of the human race, day by day more incapable of maintaining social relationships, affectionate bonds with their peers, devoted to the cult of the most selfish hedonism and narcissism. Concepts that resonate in the title track and are reaffirmed in "Shallow Grave": "You buried me in a shallow grave, one with no name, you poisoned my rivers just to try to tame me…" also highlighting the ecological aspect and complaint. Stollsteimer spits words and chords of anger supported by Marcie Bolen's rhythm guitar. "Going Down," a superb garage track heavily inspired by the San Diego sound of Gravedigger Five and Morlocks, unfolds in just under two minutes of pure old-school energy. The record flows slowly on the notes of the enchanting blues noir "Cass and Henry," a moment of glory for Don Blum who strikes bass drum, snare, and cymbals well and hard with excellent rolls and vibratos, accompanying the tragicomic story of a love gone to waste with an attempted suicide. The same script for "Nite Train" and "Cryin'," ("Yeah crying, yeah sleeping, yeah kicking, yeah keeping, all this pain inside of me") with intense and poignant lyrics despite the brisk pace of the track. "In The Act" is one of the most beautiful and intense moments of the work. Opened by a classical guitar arpeggio, paced by Blum's pedal, the bass gives way to the double bass, and when Stollsteimer utters "That's about when I told her to rearrange her life" amid a troubled scuffle of family dissensions and misunderstandings, culminating with a drink thrown in the face, a spectral slide guitar kicks in that plucks all the strings of the soul. "Please Please Man" pushes with the grit that characterizes the entire LP (a desperate plea against abandonment) and the final track "Sound Of Terror" with exquisite psychobilly sounds reminiscent of the Cramps, shares its nine minutes and eighteen seconds with a pastoral, delightful ghost track sung entirely by bassist Carrie Ann Smith (dating Jack White) and accompanied by a Hammond that gifts a surreal retro atmosphere.
In July 2011, the band officially bid farewell to the music scene with four albums, several EPs, a European tour supporting the White Stripes, a quarrel ending in a furious brawl between White and Stollsteimer, and a quirky Teutonic name etched in the pages of the Detroit 2.0 music scene.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 In the Act (03:03)
I know where your girl was last night
She didn't put up too much of fight
More like a plea for somebody who had some time
Me and her, we were sitting and talking
Just planning on making something
That's about when I told her to rearrange her life
She got pissed and splashed a drink in my face
More like a plea for a more moral case
Why don't you go home and try to be a better wife?
Stemming from a life of seduction
Headed out by a life of precautions
Then you'll go home and try to be a better wife
03 Going Down (01:54)
One lost his way in the fame
The other one with his heart
The last one wasn't that simple
Yeah, You could tell right from the start
He had attitude like the Devil
Lips that speak the truth
He had the soul of an angel
He could see it in her, too
He could see it in her, too
Well, She ain't no Cinderella
And he ain't no flashy king
But if she keeps on treating him right
He's going to make that mockingbird sing
But if she treats him bad
He's going to send her on her way
Making her pay for all his troubles
'til her dying day
'til her dying day
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
She's going down
She's going down
I'll send her on her way
She's going down
05 Cryin' (02:06)
Yeah, Crying
Yeah, Sleeping
Yeah, Kicking
Yeah, Keeping
All this pain inside of me
There ain't no monetary value, baby
Just heart and soul
Hustle us down to the river, child
Let it take control
Holding on to the chaos scene, Yeah
Pink ribbons and bows
Just stick with the rhythm, child
It'll save your soul
Geraldine, let it take control
Geraldine, let it save your soul
Yeah, Crying
Yeah, Sleeping
Yeah, Kicking
Yeah, Keeping
All this pain inside of me
06 Please Please Man (02:04)
Do you like the way I walk?
Do you like the way I talk?
Do you like me at all?
I'm your please-please man, baby
So don't ever let me go
I've been sleeping on your doorstep, girl
So don't ever try to come home
Please, please, yes
Please, please, no
I've been sleeping at your door
So don't ever come home
08 It Came From Japan (02:11)
Put away your cigarettes
And your high class attitude
Turn emotion to devotion
Baby I can see it in you too
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
Put away your cigarettes
And your high class attitude
Turn emotion to devotion
Baby I can see it in you too
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
Put away your cigarettes
And your high class attitude
Turn emotion to devotion
Baby I can see it in you too
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
We all hail hail from rock and roll
From behind a glass case
From behind a glass case
From behind a glass case
10 Sound of Terror (03:28)
I'm the fly on flypaper
You're the rain on the web
Resurrected by demons
All shoutin' in my head
Its the lifeboat of sanity
The beacon in the dark
Let all hell's fury play the rhythm of your heart
Its the sound of terror
Its the sound of terror
It sleeps with the fear
All burrowing under your bed
Waiting for a signal
To bring this nightmare to and end
Its an affair of honour
Taken too far
Lets burn down st peter's and drive a stake through it heart
Its the sound of terror
Its the sound of terror
11 Nite Train (03:29)
How can I be down when I ain't been buried yet?
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
I smoke a cigarette, I ain't got no regrets
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
How can I be down when I ain't been buried yet?
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
Making snow angels to the break of dawn
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
Lying with ..... 'cause I don't give a d**n
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
Making snow angels to the break of dawn
Ah-ooh ah-ooh
Me and my brother ain't got no sister
just a bother at home
So we got two bottles of nite train, baby
And now we don't feel alone
Me and my brother ain't got no sister
Just a bother at home
12 Lack of Communication (03:32)
Well,tear down the Mona Lisa
Put your picture on the wall
Tell the world you love her
And i'm at your beck and call
And i'm the only Mona Lisa and
baby(x4)
that's all(x8)
Baby, I didn't mean you no harm
I just had some fun with some friends
I mean some girls in the city
Don't we get along?
Yeah,Don't we get along?
Yeah, don't we get along with our friends in the city?
Lord, I've been praying all day
Just take this pain and give it away
Don't leave no other witnesses
By the grace of God, I'm going to see you in Hell
About a Lack - Of - Communication
Lack - Of - Communication
Lack - Of - Communication
Well, tear down the Mona Lisa
Put your picture on the wall
Tell the world you love her
And you're at her beck and call
I am the only Mona Lisa and
baby(x4)
that's all(x8)
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