Garage rock is a genre whose origins and history we typically associate with the suburban garages of the middle class American misfits. Amateur musicians with rebellious attitudes and a guitar rift to match. Bands that where formed together out of society’s radicals all with the same passion for savage howling lyrics and a trashing beat. Garage rock is genre in constant revolt, ever formulating and never hiding behind boundaries. It is rock and rock in its primitive form.
It is certainly a genre with unbound long-levity and one that has been coveted by a the mass of gawky grunge oddballs. Dominating the airways here and across the pond, Italy’s Wildman (Facebook) embody the very heart and soul of the genre, their inspiration and enthusiasm netted into garage rocks American roots. Flying the flag for real Italian swagger you would be mistaken to think that upon your first listen that they where the latest south coast surf riving rock and roll revolutionist. Italy’s answer to The Cramps, Wildmen, are formally making a ruckus for the European garage rock scene and are proud of it. With bags full of personality they claim to be here to save the future of garage rock and to let the masse know that it is a genre still very much alive and kicking. They certainly don’t lack character and what they may fall short of in slick Italian style, although they do sport a fine pair of 70’s style moustaches, the make up for in an uproar of sound.
They claim themselves to be instrumental perverts who play with the same force as the Mississippi river flowing into the delta. Combing a blend of jungle rock, surf acid Back Flag esque punk and New Orleans proto-jazz they certainly mix a style that is fused with wild abandonment. Recently signed to the independent Italian/Portuguese label Shit Music For Shit People, the story goes that Wildmen aka guitarist Giacomo Mancini and drummer and vocalist Matteo Vallicelli met during a bar room brawl in which Matteo heroically stepped into save Giacomo from a beating of a lifetime. Listening to this band I cant help but think they probably gave as good as they got and that somehow some of that pensive aggressive and violent behaviour wound its way around a guitar string and reflected itself back into Wildmen’s feisty debut album. There’s defiantly no holding back on this record and it certainly sounds like brawling commotion of reckless behaviour.
Materialising the perfect punk meets garage rock formulaic mix of three minute thumping drum beats and coarse guitar rifts, each song flings itself out with a pounding energy. Openers “Haters Gonna Hate” and “D.R.U.N.K” start off this rally with a racket of noise. The album does have its still moments in its constructed pace and controlled body of structure but as the record assembles into its core it gets a little more heavy and subsequently more chaotic.
The album flows forcefully from one song to the next each with its own intense rapid and destructive hooks charging trough it. Wildmen play with both a brazen boldness and lure, storming into some rather messy rock and roll. “Crazy” stomps and shimmies into a simple playful tempo and like the general running of the album it’s fluidity is played with enthusiastic force while “Going Away” is ignited with sonic foot stomping melodies and punchy surf rifts. Don’t however expect to be hearing tales of cruising Venice beach, riding the perfect wave or soppy summer romances. Wildmen have attitude and generous amounts of it to offer just listen to track “Bitch” for some love scorned hostility.
“Zero Generation” is the stand out track for me on this album and show a bit more complexity to it’s rhythm. It has a pacy beat in it’s groove that penetrates with sneer and rouge guitar snarls. It’s growling vibes continue into tracks “20,000 $” and “Death Mask” who’s rampant audible disorder is a skittish run around that will get you rolling. Fidgety but catchy, scuzzy but engaging this album can best summed up into three key elements, pace, attitude and volume and this record is begging to be played loud, fast and with fist full of lip curling frenzy.
The album is available via Shit Music For Shit People
