R E V I E W S

WMFO Coffee & Smokes Magazine

You are hearing America's last and arguably best bar band commit seven scorchers to CD. "Gemini" clearly has its roots in the best mid-'70s New York rock 'n' roll (read: The Dictators & Dolls), yet retains that hauntingly familiar yet unique Kenne Highland sound.

The band covers Kenne's own "My Best Bette" (along with The Blackjacks' "Dress In Black" & Lyres' "Not Looking Back" one of the three best Boston rock songs EVER. End of story...) with some new twists and all of the energy of the original as well as the Velvet Underground's "There She Goes Again"

It's the five new compositions, though, that make this CD/EP the gem that it is. All of these tunes, particularly the title track, are fast and furious rockers in the style that put Boston on the rock 'n' roll map.

The Noise
The Kenne Highland Clan has been a long time institution in this old Boston scene. Their live shows are raw and energetic with a bizarre cast of characters always in attendance. They are one of the bands who literally put the Kirkland Cafe on the map as one of Boston's most happening places. Kenne's backyard parties are the stuff of legend. The Kenne Highland Clan reminds us that rock is supposed to be fun and raw.

They're back again with this seven song CD featuring energetic studio versions of some favorites from their live shows. Though in the studio the band's sound is slightly more refined and clear, their distinctive basic garage rock approach shines through. From the opening track "Scorpio Queen" to their live show favorite (and mine, too) "Everybody's a Lyre", Kenne Highland serves up the rock as it was meant to be: raw, loud, high-energy, ragged around the edges with three chords, rockin' guitar solos, and a vocal delivery that harkens back to The Modern Lovers, Iggy Pop, Spirit, and The Buzzcocks.

Though the band has been through many incarnations and permutations over the years, the Clan has definitely hit it's mark with the current lineup comprising Pete Taylor thumping the skins, Mike Quirk on guitar, bassist Bruce Hamel (fresh from a two year stint playing with John Felice), and of course the unmistakable Mr. Highland on lead kilt! The two guitar, bass, drums rock approach works for this band as if they had invented it in the first place. One listen to this disc may even convince you that they had. Though this album doesn't quite capture as much of the high energy hijinx that permeates their live shows on any given night, this album does serve as a fitting document of the music that keps them coming back for yet another go 'round.

Noises From The Garage

Kenne Highland's been around and he knows how it's done. Here he is with his newest band and what it is is seven songs of pure, unadulterated basic rock 'n' roll. You know all the influences: NY Dolls, Stooges, '77 Punk, all that stuff, the kind of thing Mr. Highland's been involved with since The Gizmos. That's what you get with this little sampler. Highlights: a great Heartbreakers-ish rocker "Girl With The Dangerous Curves" and an A-OK cover of the oft-handled "There She Goes Again" (Lou You-Know-Who). What else can you say? It's good stuff and that's all it needs to be.

Check out "There She Goes Again" on our JukeBox

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