Album Mini-review: The Roaring 420s – You Can’t Get Out Alive
File next to: Elephant Stone, Allah-Las, Fuzztones
For The Roaring 420s, everything old is new again. Across the twelve songs on *You Can’t Get Out Alive – their second full-length – this Dresden, Germany based quintet crafts original songs that bear more than a whiff (or a toke if you like) of late 1960s psychedelia. Go-go combo organ (think of The Doors or ? and the Mysterians) and twangy, reverbed guitars all endeavor in the service of the snappy tunes. Florian Hohmann betrays not a hint of a German accent – in fact he sounds more like Tom Verlaine, or an uncharacteristically upbeat Lou Reed – as he sings the collectively written groovy tunes. “Hey Lou” sounds like a rocked-up rewrite of The Velvet Underground‘s “After Hours” (or the pop interlude from The Mothers‘ “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It”) with better vocals and electric twelve-string straight out of A Hard Day’s Night.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day for several years). The more than 5000 interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- some 40 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums is available now. Read even more about him here.