God My Pal 7″ reissue
As an uninitiated outsider, it took me a bit of digging to grasp why this two-song 7” is being touted as a classic of Australian rock’n’roll. To my untrained ear, this sounded like a band trying to ride a ’90s grunge nostalgia trip that appears to be having a resurgence. Well, it turns out I had that exactly backwards. My Pal is genuinely recognized as an iconic single from the pre-grunge era of the late ’80s that built on the foundation of Aussie staples like RADIO BIRDMAN and X, and essentially paved the way for a whole slew of groups that would run with things in the coming decade. The topside title cut is the kind of song that you’ll feel like you’ve heard before upon first listen, channeling the same energy and tenor that would rocket NIRVANA into stratospheric super-stardom. The refrain, a raspily crooned “You’re my only friend / You don’t even like me,” captures the essence of the aroma of disaffected youth in a way that was at the time entirely novel. Not to mention the fact that when this came out in 1987, the band members were bona fide teenagers. The flipside cut, “A Man Without a Woman is Like a Nun Without a Jackhammer,” is more straightforwardly punk with a driving rhythm section and an altered vocal approach, landing somewhere between LUBRICATED GOAT and MUDHONEY. For better or worse, it’s hard to imagine that a band such as SILVERCHAIR would have come into being without GOD setting the scene. Props given where props are due. It’s stated that this is the final re-issuing of this record, so if any of the above appeals to you, this may be your final chance to procure a piece of Melbourne rock history at an affordable price.