The Control Freaks – Get Some Help

By RingMaster Review on December 1, 2021 • ( 0 )

Greg Lowery has created and led numerous bands of which so many have earned legendary status, the likes of Supercharger, The Rip Offs, The Infections, and The Zodiac Killers instantly coming to mind. His latest rousing of ears comes with The Control Freaks who have just unleashed Get Some Help, a slab of quick fire, senses harassing punk rock suggesting maybe another name can be added to that acclaimed list.

San Francisco based, The Control Freaks thrust garage punk and surf/trash rock into the belligerent arms of old school punk rock to spring a sound which is as raw and bracing as it is virulent. You can feel the inspiration of bands such as The Ramones, The Stooges and unsurprisingly Supercharger in its DNA yet it has always swiftly stamped down its own individuality and with rapacious dexterity within Get Some Help.

From its opening title track, the album harries and incites, riffs an esurient surge and rhythms a venomous yet galvanic trespass across its body and quickly addictive within the feral antics of the starter and thereon in a creative assault that never wavers or loses its welcome.

The following Moron instantly got under the skin as Rob Liebsch’s beats start the rumble, his irresistible bait escalated by the gnarled bassline of Lowery. Soon the guitars of Rob Vastano and Amy Munoz are burrowing as deep, Lowery’s truculent tones riding the inroad and soon magnetically joined by Munoz’s belligerent vocal backing. It success is matched by that of Riot, a Clash-esque incitement impossible not to spit defiance with.

That manipulative prowess alone epitomises the album; a collection of punk cured rock ‘n’ roll slices that commanded addictive tendencies as quickly and firmly cemented by the likes of the ’77 nurtured My I.Q. and Won’t Pretend with its fuzz kilned uproar led by Munoz’s irritancy and another rhythmic orchestration leaving the body breathless. That exploitation of instincts is similarly echoed within F.O.N., driving the urgency of the track and that of its victims appetite to in turn devour the garage rock liquor of Don’t Trust and the insatiable catchiness of F.B.I., both songs slapping the sweet spot like an upright bassist with the latter emerging as one delicious pugnacious pop punk persuasion.

As tracks such as the scuzz loaded I’m Always Right and the crabby Lockdown come and go, they more than matched in impact by I.C.U. with its Heartbreakers hued fractiousness and the habit forming Popgun, the grip of Get Some Help only tightened as too the urge to go share its exploits with the nearest ears.

First though Bugzapper had its moment keeping us close; the song bringing the album to a raucous close with another escalation of animated rhythmic arousal. It simply sums up the inspiring traits of the release, the swinging teeth baring hooks, similarly wielded rhythms and feral riffs that chew on the senses, it all in turn stirring up vocals for the final compelling piece in each perpetually repeating and individual triumphs.

Get Some Help is out now digitally and on CD and vinyl through Dirty Water Records, Cargo Records, Get Hip Recordings, Trash Wax and FOLC Records; available @ https://thecontrolfreaksband.bandcamp.com/album/get-some-help-2