REVIEW: The White Animals “Star Time”

The White Animals – Star Time

It would be easy to suggest that anyone who enjoys old-fashioned rock (not retro) just rock would find this band of interest. I’m old school & don’t expect to hear much “new” rock with a vintage authentic thrust. However old a baby-boomer is they’ll find this collection uniquely satisfying.

“My Baby Put Me On the Shelf” opens with a hefty Vanilla Fudge torrent of mind-bending rock. Instantly pounding & well done. The more signature tune “Ready To Go,” is rock resurrected from the 70s by the punk/new wave era. A relentless Gary Glitter (“Rock n’ Roll Parts 1 & 2) type rocker with a Ramones-treated vocal that’s quite flavorful. There’s not any hoi-polloi here just strength with a pure incendiary groove. These guys may not be reinventing the wheel, but they know how to roll, roll, roll in their rock music.

It isn’t like they “sound” like anyone. It’s more about the band knowing how to inject musical vitamins into the tried & true genre.

Nothing is tired-sounding or oldie-like. It’s all fresh takes on an old recipe. The funkier “Chanty” has a rich Buring Sensations’ “Belly of the Whale” tradition. The vocal interplay is well-proportioned & stimulating. They shift gears when they unleash their guitars & drum assault to remind everyone how it’s done effectively. This LP is another box of assorted chocolates – you don’t know what you’ll find when you bite into these nuggets.

Enough pontificating. These 12 precision-tailored songs of Star Time (Drops Oct 25/Dread Beat/37:09) were produced by Georgia’s Steve Boyd (bass) & Kevin Gray (guitar). Do they hit the bullseye every time? No. But they know where the target is. It’s trendy & juvenile but isn’t that what real R&R was all about?

They’re an acclaimed band. You can hear why. This new set is their first music in 24 years. However, while some writers & fans will tag them as a good garage band, they’re really too proficient to be that nonsensical. There’s nothing here that’s raw & sloppy in that manner. My only criticism: The White Animals shouldn’t use vocal treatments so often.

There’s a hint of Canada’s The Kings (“This Beat Goes On – Switchin’ To Glide”) in their well-chiseled songs. With “When It All Came Down,” (still with vocal treatments) they shift into an upbeat, catchy country-inflected rocker. The guitar is not as fiery as Gun’s Adrian Gurvitz fuzz guitar style (“Race With the Devil”) but the combustible tonality is evident.