Garage is not my forte, but I do like it from time to time. It has to really move me on the first listen, but I have become such a fan of one particular label out of Sweden. Everything I have received thus far is so good. Last year, this label introduced me to the band the Maharajas. Unrelated Statements was the CD. First for the label, second for the band. On first listen and repeated listens, this band touched me. With a little research I found out this band consisted of former members of the Strollers, who were a favorite of mine, and a member of the Maggots. No one wonder they were so good. Being a music geek and reviewer, going to Razorcake HQ to pick up review material is always exciting to me; pulling packages out of my inbox to see what treasure might pop. When you see the international packages, that is a bonus. I see a familiar return stamp and rip the package open to eye its contents. Yeah, baby! A new Maharajas CD! Flawless, just like their previous release, this band takes their experience in a genre they love and continue to make great music. They have a magic hand of infusing a variety of sounds into their brand of ‘60s garage punk. You can hear elements of surf, psychedelia, and rock throughout. But the ringer is the knack of consistently making it melodic and catchy. They’re a band that makes you hum after a few listens. The other magic of their recordings is that they can pull off a lo-fi recording but sound highly produced. Musicians in tune with their instruments. The guitars are clean but precise. The drums sounds are bold and the cymbals are bright. Keyboards infuse that emotional energy making the listener feel the song. Bass notes that round everything back together but are individually important. Now with two releases that have impressed me, I hope they make it over to the States for a tour.
–don (Low Impact)