Take a Good Look!

Since the mid-1970s NYC’s Fleshtones, regardless of fashion, have delivered solid, unpretentious ‘60s-based garage rock. Thirty years later, they’re still at it, having lost none of their initial firepower. If anything, this 2008 release finds the group in *stronger* form, as the success of their disciples — the White Stripes, the Mooney Suzuki — and the issuance of Joe Bonomo’s long-awaited band biography *Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America’s Garage Band* have completely recharged the group’s batteries. Recorded in Detroit and NYC with Stripes/ Suzuki producer Jim Diamond and CBGBs guitar legend Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids), respectively, *Good Look* is a fuzz-drenched, back to basics garage rock textbook that rattles with hawking harmonica, unrestrained unison vocals and a genuine chaos rallying around songs pegged on strong, solid hooks. “This Time Josephine,” “Feels Good To Feel” and “Down to the Ground” should be in the group’s repertoire for the *next* thirty years. Twelve solid tunes and no ballads allowed.