The Fleshtones
"Beachhead"
Yep Roc

I have a confession to make. I don’t own any Fleshtones albums. Oh, I’ve seen ‘em a buncha times, had a blast, shook my ass… but I never picked up anything by ‘em. Once I got me a copy of their new long-player Beachhead, I immediately saw the error of my ways. For shame, Sal, for you have missed out on many nights of fun lo these many years! May the god of all things Rock and Roll strike you down!

The Fleshtones have been in business for nearly 30 years, rockin’ many a garages and rollin’ even more union halls. Their mix of ‘60s rock and roll, R&B and a little thing I like to call “fun” sounds better and fresher than ever, even in the midst of yet another “garage rock” revival. Dig that snare drum sound on the opening track “Bigger and Better.” Go! I’ll be here when you’re done. And you can’t stop at just one, you gotta play it all the way through! That stuff, about being serious about nothing at all, they mean it. What about “Push Up Man,” you say? I don’t know what to tell you, but I blush every time I listen to that song. This may have knocked out the Stepbrothers’ Baby, It’s Over as my favorite album this year. Well, let me listen to ‘em both one more time.

Go see them at Manitoba’s in NYC in September. See why they call themselves “the world’s best party band.”

Reviewed by: Sal Lucci
Reviewed on: August 7, 2005