Reviews

Mirror

The Chesterfield Kings Here Are The Chesterfield Kings LP

I’m not sure at what point brilliant evocation becomes slavish imitation, and I don’t think the CHESTERFIELD KINGS have figured it out, either. Ultimately, such semantic or philosophical questions are begged by one’s emotional responses, and this album connects with me because of its authentic ’60s punk feel, even down to the production. My one complaint is that these tracks are all covers. Even though some of them are better than the originals—”Outside Chance” leaps immediately to mind—I wish they’d apply that ultra-belligerent ’60s style to new compositions. Eminently cool.

The Chesterfield Kings She Told Me Lies / I’ve Gotta Way With Girls 7″

The B-side cover is a bit light for me, but the original on the flip is real good. Even though there might be too much of that trebly ’60s Farfisa organ sound, it still manages to snarl its way through to a cool BLUES MAGOOS-type rave-up at the end. Great!

The Chesterfield Kings Stop! LP

If it were 1966, this record would be cool. But alas… Anyway, most of the tunes here are originals (and decent at that, including the classic “She Told Me” from their last 45), breaking away from their cover syndrome which spans back many years. Now if they could only break into the ’80s thematically…