Review: Modey Lemon

Modey Lemon
“Self Titled”
(A-F Records)

Modey Lemon, a deranged noisy as a garbage man outside the window at five A.M. raucous rock band, are a two piece band consisting of a drummer/harmonica player and a vocalist/guitarist/moog synthesizer operator.  The music could be described as a primitive version of the Stooges attempting to crank out a good old delta blues sound, but why bother making inane comparisons?  The energy level is peaked beyond what most bands could ever achieve, the drumming is fearless and beautiful, the use of the moog synth creates for eerie background droning that fleshes out any empty spaces one might imagine coming out of a two man band.  In fact, for a two-man band they make quite the impenetrable wall of both discordant and harmonic sound. Lest the wrong impression be given, this isn’t noise rock, these are real songs, with catchy grooves, big accomplished toe-tappingly good drums.  The songs are memorable, oft times moody and always hard rocking, very hard. It’s good to see Anti-Flag’s label signing bands that aren’t necessarily punk and certainly wouldn’t be signed by anyone else.  If what is said about stripped down garage rock making its return through bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes, then the duo known as Modey Lemon are clearly the much better alternative underside to this mainstream garage rock revival.  Great stuff, ladies and gentleman.