VINYL OF THE MONTH
The Groggs
3D
Santa Cruz, CA
“Taking garage into the third dimension”
The Groggs are a garage rock trio named after a local liquor store (The Grog Shop). Their debut 7-inch is drenched in reverb and flaunts most of its pomp and power in a “wall of sound” production with plenty of slap-back echo to spare. The Groggs are a must have for fans of The Black Lips and Kid Congo.
Although this catchy rock outfit can turn out a bubble gum hit as good as the rest of them, their uniqueness oftentimes lies in the vocal stylings of singer Keith Thompson. Rather than the usual nasally rasping of most garage groups on wax, Thompson can really sing and displays his powerful voice on numerous occasions. His voice often falls somewhere between a Black Sabbath-era Ozzy Osbourne and The Spits. Most of the songs rock and bop along, but the band shows no hesitation when they slow down and finish off the EP with a doo-wop style garage power ballad.
As an added bonus, the record also includes a pair of 3-D glasses. So make a stop at the local liquor store, grab your “Small Town Love” and throw 3D on the record player. The Groggs are definitely “Up to No Good.” (Self-released)
Recorded at Compound Recordings in Santa Cruz, CA