TOKYO SEX DESTRUCTION - THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (B-Core)

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At first, The Neighbourhood may sound like the Mooney Suzuki album that Sammy James, Jr. has yet to record. Spain's Tokyo Sex Destruction has a short history of shadowing the trail of their New York compadres, but this time they may have taken that next step of musical progression by themselves while the other garage rock revivalists are on hiatus.

The new album, released on their longtime home label B-Core, features a post-garage rock'n'roll assault infused with a heavy 70s/Motown element on many of the twelve tracks, especially the epic "It Was In 1969". If the faux-urban vibe of "..1969" suits you well, you will dig "Let Me Down" and "Stories From The Neighbourhood", each equipped with a Spinners-esque back choir and a rock/funk retro fusion that drips with mojo. Deeper in the disc you'll find "Move It" which could be the missing soundtrack for any on-foot chase scene from the old Starsky and Hutch television series. While it's obvious that Tokyo Sex Destruction hired a horn section for songs like "It Was 1969", "Move It"  employs what could very well be Carlos Santana's "Black Magic Woman" rhythm section. Those who are familiar with the primitive years of Tokyo Sex Destruction will appreciate the high energy "It's Gonna Be Alright" and "Let Me Down", while others desiring one more shot of funk may skip down and groove to "Cold Sweat". Closing out the disc is "Don't Let My Hands Fall" - probably the best Gun Club fascilime I have heard since Jeffrey Lee died 13 years ago, followed by the bittersweet ballad "I Think You Lies"  (a smart production move to leave the energy-draining, yet thoughtful serenade as the album's final track).

The Neighborhood is an amazing record that, if taken too seriously, could mistakenly imply that some urban culture exists in Barcelona. It may also be an unjustifiably overlooked masterpiece due to previous critical notion that post-garage high energy soul-rock hadn't work on Mooney Suzuki's last two albums. On behalf of the sub-genre of rock they celebrate, Tokyo Sex Destruction deserves a second chance.


Clicking >>HERE<< will give you a pop-up player where you can hear samples from The Neighbourhood

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