“Songs The Lord Taught Us” by The Cramps - album review

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TJR says

A bass-less Rock n Roll horror show from the NYC quartet, an oft-forgotten offspring of CBGB’s. The debut Cramps set was produced by Alex Chilton and aptly recorded in Memphis at Phillips Recording, operated by former Sun Records label owner Sam Phillips. The sound was lo-fi – dirty and raw, but passionate and intense. Rockabilly was reinvented right here as psychobilly, borne of the charismatic lunacy of, and the sexual chemistry between, the husband-and-wife duo, Lux Interior (33) and Poison Ivy (27). As a band, they nailed down an irresistible new template which would be aped to death from hereon. Opener “T.V. Set” is completely terrific – these garage cats are primitive, that’s how they live. The prowling, unhinged “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” is the album highlight – like a menacing Gene Vincent fronting up Link Wray’s bad-ass hombres. In all, 8 originals are offered up with 5 covers; “Rock On The Moon” (Jimmy Stewart, 1959), “Sunglasses After Dark” (based on "Ace Of Spades" Link Wray, 1962), “Strychnine” (The Sonics, 1965), “Tear It Up” (Johnny Burnette and The Rock n Roll Trio, 1956) and “Fever” (Little Willie John, 1956). Rock n Roll is back; in its new psychobilly guise it seems sexier and more dangerous than ever before…

The Jukebox Rebel
07–Oct–2010

Tracklist
A1 [03:12] 8.4.png The Cramps - T.V. Set (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Proto-Punk
A2 [01:53] 6.6.png The Cramps - Rock On The Moon (Jimmy Stewart) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
A3 [03:37] 8.2.png The Cramps - Garbage Man (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A4 [03:03] 8.6.png The Cramps - I Was A Teenage Werewolf (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A5 [03:47] 7.5.png The Cramps - Sunglasses After Dark (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace, Rosalind Michelle Pullens, Fred Lincoln Wray Sr.) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A6 [03:48] 6.3.png The Cramps - The Mad Daddy (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B1 [02:43] 8.0.png The Cramps - Mystery Plane (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B2 [01:55] 6.7.png The Cramps - Zombie Dance (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B3 [02:05] 6.9.png The Cramps - What’s Behind The Mask? (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B4 [02:24] 8.4.png The Cramps - Strychnine (Gerry Roslie) Post-Punk
B5 [02:37] 6.9.png The Cramps - I’m Cramped (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace, Bryan Gregory, Julien Grindsnatch) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B6 [02:32] 6.4.png The Cramps - Tear It Up (Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, Paul Burlinson) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B7 [04:17] 6.8.png The Cramps - Fever (Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell) Crooner / Cabaret

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