Even though you might have not heard them before, CRIMINAL PARTY started in 1986 in Italy, but they only released their first CD in 1999. This new album comes out with a French title and French revolution influenced artwork. The band’s music stands somewhere between old-school punk rock’n’roll and hard rock, but also borrows influences from various styles. Thus, CRIMINAL PARTY manages to have a strong identity reinforced with a mix of female vocals, rock’n’roll piano, 70s keyboards and a grarage sound. The guitar riffs sometimes bring the DEAD BOYS/JOHNNY THUNDERS/The DAMNED to mind (“Angry and Tired”, “Join Us”, “Rebel World”, “Burned Generation”), and the vocals melodies sometimes lean towards the RAMONES (“What About You.”) You’ll even get a LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH feel in “Assault at the Central Bank.”)
Speaking of Stiv Bators and friends, for some reason, the epic atmosphere at times made me think of The WANDERERS with a SIOUXSIE feel, especially in “Crime After Crime” and “In a Time Machine”, I’ve also enjoyed their darker experimental side in “Deep Crisis.”
This album is a bit long (17 songs!), but it’s quite fun to listen to, definitely worth trying! /Laurent C.
Veglam 