Friggin' Hell yeah! When thinking about Texas and the Lone Star state I wouldn't normally associate it with stonking sleazy lowdown 'n' dirty rock 'n' roll,  but from here on in every time I hear Texas I'll think of these punk rockin' cats. Thank fuck for the Flash Boys! Now I won't have to think of George Dubbya Bush.  

I don't know 'bout you but I can't get enough sloppy trashy punk rock 'n' roll in 2010 and the Flash Boys are the latest in a long line peddling some pretty hot tunes. These boys shake like a hefty pair of milk maid's udders with their take on the likes of the Stones, Dolls, Stooges, Ramones and, of course, Heartbreakers. There's a punk rock love-in round my house at the minute with 13 (unlucky for some,  which happens to be my neighbours at the moment) tracks of dripping molten slop 'n' roll that have moved into my brain and keep knocking old school melodies one after the fantastic other. 

Eleven of these bastard sons of rock 'n' roll are original tunes whilst two are glorious covers, the first being a take of 'Pillbox' by the mighty Joneses, and what a choice it is too - this version shows a great empathy for a great tune and they manage to do it justice and don't fuck up a magical moment. The other cover being in the shape of 'Savage' by the Fun Things. This is insanely good with the spirit of 77 tattooed right the way through this record. With some Steve Jones riffs thrown into the mixing pot along with the other influences mentioned earlier these dandies got my ass dancin' to the mental beat.

Singer Frankie Knowhere reminds me in places of Ant from the magnificent Gunfire Dance which can only  be a good thing, right? On album opener he sneers his way through 'I Need A Vacation' like prime time Richard Hell. Pop over to their Myspace and check 'em out and tell them the Übers sent you, and share the love because the world is a sunnier place when bands like Flash Boys get played.

You have Iggy Pop howls on 'Yeah Yeah It's Me', The Heartbreakers strut on 'Use Once And Destroy',  the Ramonesey 'Lonely' - what a blindingly good album this is, that I can't stress enough. If like me you crave some gutter punk rock with more than a hint of romance and glamour then this is the album for you. Buy it and get instantly hip and cool and be the envy of all your friends as they bask in your rock 'n' rollness. You will be the cool cat on the block with this tucked under your arm, I should know!

  
http://www.myspace.com/theflashboys1972