Oh yes, I thought to myself when the debut CD of GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS reached me.. “UK's best Punk-A-Billy band“ was written on the label's note. But no matter what the promo sheet says, Punk-A-Billy is definitely welcome with me, and related genres as well.
My anticipation was therefore high.
CD in the player, and…
…the first thought was, someone must have listened to “Bass, Bass“ by Das Bo a bit too intensely.
The first songs are practically destroyed by the bass. A massive bass that just shatters everything. Of course, an intense bass is part of Punk-A-Billy, and since a double bass is played here, it should be brought out in the studio. This instrument has a special sound and makes an impression. Not just visually but also in terms of sound. If it can be worked out properly. However, it seems that no one in the studio managed to do that. Or is it intentional? I can't imagine that, who would let their songs be destroyed by an instrument and willingly pay for it?
Over time, the bass becomes more subtle (maybe you just get used to it more).
The band manages to collect a few points because of this.
GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS consists of two people, a drummer and a double bassist who also sings. There is always a guitarist, although the band does not have a permanent member here yet. On their last tours, the band went through two guitarists and after the recordings of “Songs from Better Days“ immediately recruited three new string players who are supposed to accompany the band on their extensive tours in rotation. It seems that either two very difficult characters are at work, or they always ended up with the wrong guitarists. The next concerts, including in Germany, are already firmly booked, so one can check out the duo plus one to verify this.
I am getting ahead of myself with this invitation, as I haven't even talked about the music yet.
Now, the Punk-A-Billy wave has somewhat receded. Two years ago, every band that played rock'n'roll sound with punk elements was considered Punk-A-Billy, but today this group has shrunk to just a few bands. And these few bands were already around before the bubble. Thus, GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS are on a path into an ever-shrinking society. Their sound is not Punk-A-Billy in the classical sense, but rather a mixture of rock'n'roll, punk, psychobilly, and '50s rockabilly. It is a hard sound that melodically pushes forward, and it is always best when you can hear the double bass being played beautifully. That’s where the aggression comes through, which is particularly loved in psychobilly. A song that conveys this brilliantly is “Torture Me“. The following song, number eleven, the last track on the CD, hits the same note. Be it that it is a cover song.
The lyrics of GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS are typical for the scene, even though the band emphasizes that many of the lyrics were created in the tour bus, at aftershow parties, or late at night in clubs. They talk about women who have left them, women who drink, smoke, and have sex with various partners, about the evening pit at “Dancefloor of Death“ and other experiences of the night. Whether these are songs from better days is something everyone must decide for themselves. However, if you have a family, a car, and the obligatory dog, and no longer hang out in clubs until five in the morning, then these might indeed be songs from better days. For GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS, however, these are current songs, and hoping that the bass is not as dominant live as it is on the CD, I hereby recommend attending a concert of the band from Wales. However, the purchase of the CD should be well considered.
