Records that sound like The Groovies PT 1

Frut “Spoiled Rotten” (Westbound Records WB 2008) US 1972

I originally picked this one in the mid- Seventies during my quest of finding that buzz I got from Slow Death, Teenage Head or the Grease EP etc…This was Detroit’s Frut 2nd release. The first one was OK, but at least 5 tracks from this aim to share that same space as the rockiest tracks from Flamingo. The album kicks off with a fine version of Ruby Baby. The crunchy rhythm guitar is there, but the vocals come across like a tamer Roy Loney. There’s also nice rockin’ piano. Still it’s a cover and it doesn’t quite set the world alight. Track 3 is a good version of You Can’t Sit Down. It is really starting to sound like Frut had been as much influenced by The Groovies as they themselves had been influenced by The Detroit scene. Would have fitted nicely on Supersnazz. Track 4 and now we are talking! Gimme What We Got has really got it… From the Tim Lynch licks, the tight handclaps and the singer is really cutting loose. It’s an original and bodes well for the other tracks such as… You Just Gotta Have What It Takes is another near killer –cool rockin’ original…The vocals are wild, the guitars cut and rip, but there is one element missing: Danny’s drumming…Nearly, but not quite there. Side 2 starts with probably the best track: Snatch N’ Grab It. The rhythm guitar bites and is loud, the vocals are nice and snarly, the lead guitar is a bit too dry though. The album ends with Prison of Love . The performance is nice and sweaty and but doesn’t quite reach Groovie territory. The remainder of the album is mostly made up of covers ( 16 candles, Peggy Sue, Sea of Love), but the band come across more as a stoned Sha Na Na on these numbers, all good fun but not too memorable. Still you HAVE to love a band with band members called Crunchy Crystals, Panama Red etc…Remember this was 1972, you had The Groovies, The MC5, Stooges and not much else and this album sits nicely just behind those guys as second??? line Rock N’ Roll contenders for they are a real Rock N’ Roll band and I recommend picking up a copy if you find one. ebay purchase April ‘06