The Needles and The Villains
Wonderland
Richmond, VA
Feb 16, 2007
By Jillian Abbene
(SugarBuzz Wash DC/Richmond)
Who said dogged, browned-out rock-n-roll doesn’t visit Richmond? Lately, quite a few. The Villains are no exception. Dressed in red—in the post spirit of Valentine’s Day, I was witness to dead-on garage-twanged spoon-fed rhythms marked with starched-out lead vocals by Stevo (ex Devil Dogs). Blinking in hopes that I was just wacked out from sleep deprivation, was distracted by the unorthodoxed punk-provoked lyrics. He got it right--spawning southern-styled scruffed-up, smudged-out songs about sick-love, tobacco and NASCAR.
Their chords are much like The Stones’ with hollowed clamours simplicated in 1-2-3 chords. Hell, I could hear one-half dozen excellent influenced references from The Sex Pistols, NY Dolls, The Ramones, The Vibrators, The Stooges and even George Thoroughgood…gone south. It all turns out to be a varied layout of great tunes.
The set starts off with “Future Ex”, a 60’s heavy-stroked guitar lined with angry rockin’ lyrics that a many divorced man can relate to—having to bow-down for a mean-witchy-bitchy ‘ex’, who snuffs out all the fun. “Lipstick” funnels hard knockin’ garage glam punk, and “Tobacco Road” pegs a great fightable rock tune even George Thoroughgood might be tempted in stealing for himself. “Favorite Song”, could very well be their signature song. Fast-paced rhythm chops along with “Na-na’s” that catchy chorus-rock can only give as being memorable. Let me add that clouted riffs by Stevo and Erock strings a swaggered “Vibrators” vibe.
The Villains’ lyrics are far more provocative expletions of blended punk than glam. In “Hangin’ Around For Some Head,” testosteroned filled clamour on rhythm together with high riffs. Only a seasoned rocker would be able to emulate the feel without a mirrored screen-print, and nail it.
My ears toasty from rockin’ out to the Villains’ set, I was in hot pursuit for The Needles to take hold—and they did. Churning up songs off of their last 2 CD’s, “In The Red” and “Fun Fun Fun”, they grilled up fast garage metal rock encrusted with shit-hot shrill vocals from Chad and Gut who interchange roles throughout the set. Swelled sharp rhythm blues powered by southern-inspired stolen NY Dolls is fronted by screaming maniac baritone tearing between revved-engine guitar . Yeah, it was like that. Consistently packing in stoked-wailing electricity left sturdy tunes embellished with deep-pocketed rhythm and riffs—like buttermilk biscuits gravied on all metal styles of rock and roll.
Various songs margined with a glam-metal exchange, clearly resting within nested grooves and guitar spin-offs that run rampant throughout the set. “Fun Fun Fun,” screams against guitar exposés and metal choruses. “Tune In Tokyo” has speed and wild metal rhythm chords along with nice bleated riffs. Then there’s “Jet Setter”, a flashback for all things 80’s metal, from headbangin’ to devilled horns. Indeed, “The New Enemy” blew me away with pounding fast-rearing guitar, speedy-clean solos and scratch-metal-punk screams, destroying all vocal stereotypes, calling for all intoxicated whores, sluts, trashies and fortified half-tarted psycho-candies to step up (whether bought or sold) and shake it furiously. The song downloads hard and ends with a punctuated crashing cymbal.
In closing, let me not forget, “All This And More,” a Dead Boys remake, emanating what’s left of the residue of slick, to be given noted credit of such a great classic. Both of these bands were truly worth seeing, especially back-to-back. Since I like metal, I like punk, and I like glam-rock, after this double-slam jam, I was sent home with my ears on fire.