Deadbeat Poets
Circustown
By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Any list o' my All-Time, Top Ten, Fave Rock Groups would probably have to include the marvelous power-pop combo assembled by the late, great, STIV BATORS, for his flawless "Disconnected" elpee, and all those astonishingly brilliant singles for the Bomp! label. Many of us die-hard Bator fans have waited years and years, for some highly knowledgable and eloquent Cleveland insider, like say, Theresa K., the now-legendary punk-era photographer from http://punkturns30.blogspot.com or perhaps, Nina Antonia, to write the definitive, coffee table, history of Stiv Bator's triumphant and courageous, blood-stained trail through rock'n'roll history. While the lovable and heroic, Cheetah Chrome's autobiography, due for release this year, will shine a light on the Deadboys era, there is still an urgent need for someone like Christopher Duda to take on the responsibility of documenting Stiv's entire history, Mother Goose/Frankenstein/Deadboys/Wanderers/Bomp!/Lords Of The New Church/Evil Boys/Whores Of Babylon, his wildly inspired, truth telling, mischief-making years of service to the noble and eternal cause of freedom in the rock'n'roll wilderness.
Meanwhile, STIV'S venerable and talented sideman, FRANK SECICH, returns to save power-pop for generations to come, with this remarkable band of 
Cleveland bar-band veterans, the Deadbeat Poets. Aside from their cool name, the first thing that hits you upon listening to "CIRCUSTOWN" is the glimmery production, and highly musical rhythm section, who are as tasteful as the Pretenders. If you read my rants here, on a regular basis, you're likely well aware of how disgusted I am with the erosion of our human rights in this wretched modern police state, but particularly with the monopolization of our air-waves by the corporate plutocracy, and war-monger elites, of both our irretrievably corrupt political parties, and the sad realities of what some have called, "The Anti-Rock Conspiracy", as I'm often moaning about how no one even vaguely seems to recall the dying art-form of producing REAL ROCK'N'ROLL RECORDS, anymore, aside from a dwindling roll-call of bands like the Chesterfield Kings, and NY Dolls, and a few other overseas-bands you can, sometimes, still hear played on Little Steven's Underground Garage radio-show. Both Magic Christian, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre have flirted with this sortof inspirational pop'n'roll in recent years, but songs like, "MADRAS MAN", and "CIRCUSTOWN" will stay lodged in your head all day long, as your chewing out a rhythm on your bubblegum, as Dee Dee Ramone used to sing. This smart, and soulful brand of catchy rock music may offer you some fleeting deliverance from all that horrible big media corporate garbage being constantly pushed upon us by the nefarious corporations, and shadowy secret agencies, who are so efficiently, dismantling all that's good, or holy, or true in this world. Every faint notion we ever had of a representational democracy, free speech, a free press, privacy, sustainability, equality, community, or human rights, they're all being 
systemically desecrated by the corporate billionaires, and war-racketeers, for fun and profit, in this, our darkest hour. STIV warned us it would happen gradually, in quiet increments, and just like clockwork, he was right. That Wanderers album may have seemed like paranoid sci-fi, back in the day, but it seems tragically prophetic, maybe even somewhat under-stated, now. That is all the more reason why heart-felt pop music that resonates with truth and innocence becomes ever more valuable, as it becomes so rare that it's being created, and rarer still, that potent pop with real human emotions, like this, gets heard, by many, which is why we have to be the grapevine, and help spread the gospel throughout the underground. I suspect Ray Davies, Peter Case, and Roger McGuinn would all love to still be producing pop this effective. This definitely surpasses the lion's share of Brit-Pop bands of the 90's second, or third string songs. Terry Hartman and Frank Secich trade-off lead vocals, and they've really achieved a special tension, an admirable dynamic, straddling the worlds of sixties punk, and chewey, power-pop majesty, esp. on silvery tunes such as, "Just Like In The Real World", and "At Least It Worked Out For You"-two smash hits that are winning throwbacks to the heyday of the Records, Beat, and Plimsouls.
Other songs reminded me of all those syrupy-sweet, seventies pop rockers by all those Buddah Records (now known as Buddha Records) bands, like the Music Explosion, 1910 Fruitgum Company, or Ohio Express. Many of their carnivalesque ditties conjure back visuals from my childhood, and early teens, marooned in Northwestern Ohio, visiting places like Cedar Point, Kings Island (HANNA-BARBERA LAND!!), and the decaying vacation resort, Indian Lake, where there used to be another cool amusement park. Aging "Dad-Rockers" will also note sixties influences, such as the Beatles, Gram Parsons, and the Byrds, scattered about, "CIRCUSTOWN". "So, This Is Indiana" reminds me of Michael Nesmith's best Monkees
stuff. Needless to say, this is an essential purchase for all of us fans of real rock'n'roll, who can not tolerate any of that horrible, horrible, fake-ass, corporate-punk bullshit being so poorly regurgitated by twenty-something millionaires on State-Radio these days. Another stand-out cut, "The Post-Modern Razor Wire Showdown" reminds me of some of Wayne Kramer's finer solo tunes, like "Wild America" and "Revolution In Apt. #9".
I can not recommend this album enough to you hardcore Sugarbuzzers and Lifelong Black Vinyl Junkies. If you're a skinny tied Nikki And The Corvettes fan, a granny glass wearing psychedelic cowboy, or a seventies glam rawk stomper, there's something here for everyone from the pre-MTV era, or at least, up until they took Peter Zaremba's "I.R.S. Cutting Edge Happy Hour" off the air. I'm not even worried about over-hyping it, because repeated spins will reveal my stunning accuracy. "Just Like In The Real World", and the title track, "CIRCUSTOWN" are pretty close to perfection, in my humble estimation. If you wanna talk about the real junk, here it is...the best new rock'n'roll to come stompin' out of Ohio since the Cramps and Deadboys, with some lyrics as cool as Peter Laughner's...ORDER THE DEADBEAT POETS masterpiece, "CIRCUSTOWN" in time for that Fourth Of July Sundeck Spectacle you've had planned since you drove past the factory outlet Fireworks Tent on the edge of town near the old bowling alley, or for your Desperate Cross-Country Road-Trip To Reunite The Band. I solemnly salute Pop Detective Records for doing such a whizbang job on this crucial project. Mark my words, rock-punks. THE DEADBEAT POETS ARE AN IMPORTANT ROCK'N'ROLL
BAND!!!!
www.myspace.com/deadbeatpoets
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(-Geordie Pleathur)