The Kryptonics – Rejectionville (Reverberation/Memorandum)

Originating in Perth, Australia, the Kryptonics stormed the stages of its home country from the mid-80s to the early 90s. Led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Ian Underwood, the quartet (which at various times included future members of You Am I, Radio Birdman, the Chevelles, the New Christs, Lubricated Goat and Challenger 7) distilled the underground Australian rock & roll of the 70s and 80s down into a potent, guitars’ n’ melodies attack that’s catchy and exhilarating. Drawing on everything from the swampy drone of the Scientists to the pop smarts of the Hoodoo Gurus to the Detroit-derived drive of Birdman, the Kryptonics almost casually spit out nuggets of guitargasmic goodness on Rejectionville. The band trips merrily through the warped bluesabilly of “Baby,” the brooding folk rock of “Melancholy Valentine,” the droll punk of “As Long As Your [sic] Mine,” the spunky power pop of “Bad September,” the buzzing goth rock of “Swamp Stomp,” the sneering garage rock of “Oedipus Complex,” the roiling rock & roll of “Trapped Inside.” Underwood seems comfortable with any style involving a guitar and a loud amplifier, and his no-frills writing yields consistently entertaining results. A compilation of the band’s singles, EPs and demos, Rejectionville‘s sound is all over the place, especially on the second disk, much of which was mastered from second and third-generation sources. But the audio quality isn’t as important as the songs and performances, and those ring true to the rock & roll fervor that inspired them.

http://www.myspace.com/rejectionville