TRASHCAN DARLINGS – Episode 1: The Lipstick Menace

Sometimes, not very often, or should I say: R A R E L Y, does a band put out a debut album that, in a perfect world, deserves to make them overnight sensations with millions of records sold, sold-out tours et.al. Sure nothing comes easy, but shouldn’t we all feel grateful towards those people who signed and gave Van Halen or Guns N’ Roses their chance to record their songs? Their debut albums are today milestones in the history of hard rock, and history DO repeat itself.

Please, let me introduce you to the Trashcan Darlings. Never heard about them you say? Well, you will.

The Darlings have been going for quite a few years now, and have been releasing seven inch vinyl singles, as well as a mini-album on CD. Every release are today out of print and sold out, and they have been consistently gigging parts of Europe- building their fanbase. The crowds and halls have been getting bigger and better, and now they have released their debut album on precious ol’ fashioned vinyl. Episode 1 contains live-show favorites, as well as a bunch of new songs, especially picked out to impress the masses.

The album opens up with some majestic and classically inspired tones, before the adrenaline rush of album-opener Psychotic Barbie kick-starts the party. It’s a great song, brimful of their bad boy attitude, and oozes class. Lead vocalist, Strange Gentle in fine Mike Monroe-form, as the band struts all over the track, re-inventing sleaze-rock for just the hell of it. Before the dust has settled, Bad Reputation runs out of the speakers, all eager for a fight, and keeping drummer Skinny Shotgun real busy for a couple of minutes…

Depressed is the third number, and the tempo is a little slower, with a catchy chorus and great guitar playing from Chris Damien Doll and Frankie Natchtnebel. And Iggy Pop can safely retire if he’d sneak a listen to Rock n’roll Horror show. Rest old guy, the torch has been passed on and are in unsafe hands. Stupid girl is material for an entire feminist convention, telling the story of lust gone wrong and poor Skinny Shotgun sure gets busy again. Far from me follows, and it’s a great live song with a great crowd-pleasing chorus.

Next follows one of my all time favorite songs, ever! Promotional-single: (You just wanna) Sleep with me, and it’s a monster! Just sneak a listen to it on our Metal Jukebox. Rock’n roll, custom-made for long nights and cold beer. So whore is next in line, and it’ll make you think twice about making a commitment.. Top tune, too! Nancy boys with Tommy guns (what a title!) rocks well and hard, and all the Stories we could tell, is a feel-good song with another shout-along chorus. When a song is called Call girl, you know the bass has to pump, and Dan Dee is as steady as Cliff Williams. The lyrics are among Chris Damien Doll’s best, and the main songwriter has a special gift for writing great lines. A guest appearance from buddy, Alvin Gibbs from the UK.Subs, is next, singing on his own Drag me down Fans of Guns’n Roses know that he also wrote down on the farm (Spaghetti Incident?). Sometimes like this are another potential hit-single, and another personal favorite. Last track, Dehumanizer, featuring a lot of Norwegian black metal stars (check out the interview with Chris Damien Doll- coming soon), is the only weak track on the album.

This album is sadly quite difficult to get in the shops, but visit. www.trashcandarlings.com, and they’ll help you out. And if anybody reading this (in USA) have contacts with a record-company, drop the band a mail, and let’s get this album available on CD! It deserves to.

Highlights: The surprise album of the year (Dec. 2002) , and every track is diamond (except for the last track…). My album of the year.