Pistol Whip – Terminal
released November 24, 2009 on Smog Veil Records
This is a re-release of material from Pistol Whip, described as the first ever punk band from Erie, PA. It combines material from their lone 7″ and demos recorded in Chicago in 1978. Tracks 1 and 4 are spoken intros. Track 2 has a sound that is very reminiscent of the New York Dolls with just a bit of influence from T-Rex as well. Track 3 follows the same flow but throws in a bit of blues without losing their garage feel. Parts of this track could have influenced some modern pop-punk bands as well. Tracks 8 and 10 throw in more of a rougher presence with menacing hooks and they use a structure that sounds similar to the Damned. Track 12 sounds a bit like the Sex Pistols. Besides the obvious name-dropping here, I believe the overall sound that this band represents is timeless and since it was released in the late 1970s. The sound reflects the American side of punk rock which incorporated more elements of garage and glam as opposed to the Brits. This has been a very good year for re-releases from obscure bands and this CD is certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of punk from the mid-late 70s era.
FCC: 6,9,11
Try: *3*, 8, *10*, 12, 14