Okay, now I definitely know all the good band names are gone, even the solo artists can’t do it now. Jay Reatard? C’mon… apparently it’s not Jay’s real surname, which would have made his school years a little easier. At 26, this Memphis punk has a disturbingly prolific track record – he has reportedly written over 900 songs since he recorded his first demo at 15 (one a day, whilst sitting about eating Big Macs during his teenage years), and since then has recorded under a huge amount of pseudonyms and as a part of other bands in and around the fast and furious Memphis punk scene. He is, in short, a bit of a workaholic. But when your work is this ridiculously fun, why would you stop?

Collecting 17 A-sides, B-sides, and other out-of-print goodies, this is just the first instalment of Singles, another coming out later this year with a further 13 cuts on it. Then there is his debut album proper, Blood Visions, which has another 16 songs on it. That’s 46 songs, according to my terrible maths. In comparison, such genius songwriters such as Chris Martin struggle to come up with 11 passable cuts in 3 years! And there hasn’t been anyone to play punk anthems like this a good while, at least on American shores.

Snotty, yelpy and ranging from professional studio cuts to crackly home demos, Singles doesn’t let up for a second. There is something approaching a ballad here, the doo-wop aping Don’t Let Him Come Back but apart from that it’s a balls-to-wall punk-pop delight. I know I wasn’t surprised to find out that Reatard used to be restrained at school, until he dropped out. He also kicks the crap out of stage invaders, like punk rockers used to do. If you wanted a man who defines the word ‘punk’ in the 21st century, it’s Reatard. He even rocks a Flying V! It’s the dirty, raw kind of music  that kids play along to on tennis rackets whilst their parents fight downstairs, or teenagers throw themselves around to in tiny underground clubs. Y’know, the really good stuff.

Reatard’s tunes simply explode with nervous energy. The strum-tastic acoustic Searching For You recalls Daniel Johnston in its lo-fi simplicity, if he overdosed on his meds, and Let It All Go raises up a huge wall of feedback and fuzz. Elsewhere, Haunting You chugs along like a vintage girl-group tune, in stark contrast to the blast of Blood Visions, which sounds like a 4 minute song sped up to last a smidge over 1:31. Surprisingly enough, given his prolific songwriting, the tunes seem fresh and the ideas plentiful; mining the seam which The Ramones had such success with to almost an equal effect.

All throughout he is mad as hell, screaming vocals and shredding guitars like the classic rock n roller he knows he is. It channels the DIY ethic of classic NYC punk with a touch of new wave yelping and sheer freakiness that is very refreshing, and very him. The energy here is just astounding, and after 17 tracks you could end up feeling a little bit worn out, or just even crazier than before. Nice work if you can get it, eh?

Release date: 30/06/2008
Artist website: www.myspace.com/jayreatard
Label: In The Red

(0) comments - discuss in the forum