Ever wondered what Led Zeppelin’s massive fuzzed out garage riffs would sound like with the child of Tom Waits, Ozzy Osbourne and Johnny Rotten growling over it? Add some air raid sirens on top for good measure and you’re not far off the sound of Charles Dexter Ward and The Imagineers. Hailing from Coventry, the four piece have already been busy earning their reputation as a live band, playing a whole host of support shows around the city, as well as further afield at venues such as London’s O2 academy Islington.
Late May 2017 saw the band release their weird and wonderfully titled album “The Search for Frank’s Brains” which sees them combine spooky garage rock riff, ballsy drums and wailing vocals to create their own unique take on what I would compare to horror punk.
The album opens with The God Knows Stomp, the first track to be released online from the album back in April. With it’s fuzzy 60’s blues guitar riff and ride heavy drums that sound as if they were played by Bonzo himself, the track certainly has that early Led Zeppelin stomp and is a bold, fitting introduction that sets the tone of the album perfectly. The track ascends into a crescendo of screaming dueling guitars before a smooth segway into Watchmakers Wobble, which begins with an unnerving groaning sound before the main riff kicks in. With it’s doomy breakdowns, it is an indication of a far heavier side to the band, and isn’t a million miles away in terms of instrumentation to garage rock duo of the moment Royal Blood. ‘I get up early in the morning, wash my hands’ muses their lead singer in punk rock fashion, whilst animal from the Muppets is behind the drums delivering a George of the jungle rhythm. Third track Apocalyptic does what it says on the tin, with guitar lines that sound as if they’ve come straight from the end of the world, as well as the addition of air raid sirens. I mean where else are you going to hear an air raid siren on an album in 2017?
‘He told me he killed his father’ - Franks Brains is a straight up punk rock ode to an era and sounds as if QOTSA and the Sex Pistols got together for a jam and recorded the end result. With each track of the album, the Coventry band don’t fail to entertain the listener and consult new influences with each track, without failing to include those magic ingredients that define Charles Dexter Ward and The Imagineers album. I was particularly fond of the inclusion of what appear to be old fashioned movie soundclips and speech within the track, which show they are not all just garage punk odysseys, but pieces of music. As you may gather from the title, Sabre Tooth Sally is a rowdy country and western sing along and captures the atmosphere of a packed out saloon full of spirited cowboys. I wouldn’t have expected the track to be on an album such as this one, but it was a surprise, and a well received one. As already mentioned, I feel this album is a journey and Sabre Tooth Sally only adds to the creative confusion. Is there really a right or wrong way to make an album anyway?
Following track, You’ll never take us alive combines a distorted country slide guitar section (very stone roses) with a thumping punk rock verse and chorus. The chorus sees Charles Dexter rallying his troop of Imagineers, who shout back ‘You’ll never take us alive’ in call and response and fashion. This track shows the band’s ability to seamlessly switch between genres and influences, which is what sets the album apart from many other guitar bands of the current time.
Merlin’s Beard reconciles sounds from earlier on in the album, this time in a more PsychoBilly fashion, along with LSV pumped guitar licks and exotic synth sounds to open the track.
It appears the constants throughout the album are the punchy basslines, frantic drumming and wailing vocals and guitar riffs. Graverobber Blues however is centered around a Deep Purple style guitar part, that is later joined by the same messy slide guitars that were at the heart of You’ll never take us alive and Sabre Tooth Sally. This track is pure 70’s cock rock - the good sort. Purple stain also has late 1960’s/1970’s rock written all over it, this time the progressive kind. Swirling synth sounds provided a warped sonic backdrop for crunchy, classic blues rock riffs. The vocal is much softer on this track, more powerful and refined.
The album ends with the anthemic Wolves, which will no doubt be a highlight of the live set, and a potential closer track. Wolves brings together the album perfectly, and somehow culminates the multitude of sounds heard across the 10 track journey. Beginning with just acoustic guitar and a nonplussive vocal, the track culminates in a frenzy of gospel backing vocals and soloing guitars, the thing that Charles Dexter Ward and his Imagineers do best.
If you like vintage genre bending weirdness, and anything 60’s or 70’s, then Charles Dexter Ward and The Imagineers are a band for you. The Search for Franks Brains is a demonstration of the band’s skills as arrangers, songwriters and musicians. I can imagine the band being a great live band judging from the live feel of the album, I very much intend to catch them at a gig sometime soon and you should too.
For fans of: The Wytches, Hawkwind, Deep Purple, Band of Skulls
Listen to The God Knows Stomp below:
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