Guitar Wolf

Planet of the Wolves (Matador)
by Jon Sarre

Knock ’em out drag ’em screamin’ bloody murder on the way to the bar for six quick shots at last call punk rock’n’roll from Nipponese practitioners who learned their not-so-polished chops at the feet of Link Wray, the Stooges, and the Ramones the same way the Stones worshiped at the feet of Muddy and Wolf (foreigners, probably cuz of that cultural and spatial distance, always seem to better approximate our folk styles, yeah, after all these years Iggy Stooge qualifies there).

Guitar Wolf‘s new record, Planet of the Wolves, their second since signin’ up with the Dark Lord of All-Hipdom, Gerard Cosloy, is noise, shouts, yells, feedback squall, and balls hangin’ out-darin’-ya-to-shoot-’em-off trash as more than a mere aesthetic drinkin’-’til-ya-fall-over-twice-already, hell, it’s a hyperbole fuck fest! Everything rocks with the oddball intensity of the Linkster himself tryin’ to teach Pussy Galore a couple of riffs, but givin’ up and runnin’ through a set anyway (or, by the same token, Iggy tryin’ to front Paul Revere and the Raiders).

The opener, “Kawasaki Z11 Rock’n’Roll,” and stand-outs “Invader Ace” and “Wild Zero” are especially unsubtle examples of frenzied brinkmanship not heard in these parts since the MC5 thought they were Sun Ra. “Jett Love” is part New York Dolls “Jet Boy” homage, part mash note (I guess) to Joan Runaway. As for the covers, “Motorcycle Leather Boy” comes close in spirit to the Oblivians original, Link Wray’s “Rumble” could be the coolest cover ever, and “Satisfaction” is fucking hilarious cuz of lead Wolf Seji’s, uh, creative reading of the lyrics. Thank God for language barriers!
(625 Broadway #1004 New York, NY 10012)