The Sonics: This Is The Sonics

Artist: The Sonics
Title: This Is The Sonics
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Released: 30th March 2015
Reviewed By: Richard Greathead

The Sonics are a band that defy classification, their unique sound blending blues, rock'n'roll and turbocharged proto-punk energy. After listening to any of the band's previous releases, it's easy to see elements of this unique style influencing bands from many different genres and decades, from The Ramones to Nirvana. Part of this timeless appeal has to come from the band's lyrical flair, their original recordings nestled between classic garage rock staples, contain themes ranging from cars to girls, and surfing to Satan, all of it sang in a brilliant blues-meets-punk style. Which means it's a shame this latest album, their first since 1966, has taken so long to materialize in the wake of many band disintegrations, reformations and line up changes. 

Luckily as soon as the first chords of I Don't Need No Doctor kick off the album it's clear the time away hasn't changed the sound for the negative, with Gerry Roslie's voice sounding slightly more mature than it did in 1966 but no less powerful, still capable of wailing that would put Little Richard to shame. The lyrical themes of the songs hasn't changed much in the 49-year gap either, with second track Be A Woman showing The Sonics as still capable of an ultra fast-paced piece of girl-loving rock'n'roll. 

The following tracks Bad Betty and Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover are relatively similar offerings, both great sounding pieces of garage rock, but not stand out tracks. Fifth track Hard Way, however, is one of the finest tracks on the album with the simple air guitar-worthy riffing and sing-along chorus that are the features of all great garage rock tracks making me play the track on repeat more than once.

Sixth track Sugaree is another uplifting rock'n'roll anthem, sounding like the bastard child of Jerry Lee Lewis and The Ramones and played out in classic Sonics style. The remaining tracks on the album follow the same pattern of classic rock'n'roll and proto-punk fury, and while not standing out as well on their own as the first half of the album, make this belated follow up to second studio album, 1966's Boom, well worth the wait. 

It's strange to praise a band for their style not greatly evolving in nearly 49 years, but for The Sonics that's irrelevant as their style was always so unique to them that if it changed too much it couldn't be the same act. For me, it's refreshing that such an influential band can come back after such a gap, sounding almost the same, if a little more mature vocally, and still be relevant and more importantly, still effortlessly cool.