Notes

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(w. Andy Shernoff - The Dictators) (2004)

The Masterplan - Colossus Of Destiny (Released April 2004)

***Not to be confused with the German death metal supergroup Masterplan, the Master Plan is a garage rock powerhouse headed by two of the leading lights of the old-school, New York garage scene, Andy Shernoff of the Dictators and Keith Streng of the Fleshtones. Fans of those two bands already have an excellent idea of what Colossus of Destiny sounds like: stripped-down, no-frills rock & roll is the order of the day, but without the Dictators' occasional feints toward heavy metal and the soul fixation of the Fleshtones. (The Original Sins and early-'70s Flamin' Groovies are good touchstones, as well, for true aficionados of the style.) The rockabilly-tinged "Kickin' It Old School" is the most aptly titled tune, especially considering that '50s R&B classics like the Cadets' "I Got Loaded" and Hank Ballard's "Annie Had a Baby" are among the pop-rocking originals, sounding like they might have if a British Invasion-era quartet had added them to their set lists. This album is nothing but fun, with no pretensions toward anything more.

***God Bless Andy Shernoff for pulling together Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer of The Fleshtones and Paul Johnson of Waxing Poetics for an old-school rock 'n' roll session. Heavy shades of Shernoff's Dictators and The Fleshtones, mixed with flavors of surf, '60s garage and '70s glam. Three of the four contribute tunes, including Shernoff's late-Dictators era, "What's Up With That," Johnson's Ramones-y "You're Mine," and Streng's buzzing surf instrumental "Picketts Charge."

Not surprisingly, these rock 'n' roll old-timers rework some unusual covers, including Peppermint Harris' "I Got Loaded," Lloyd Price's R&B lament "Just Because," and Hank Ballard's answer-song "Annie Had a Baby." The latter provides particularly fertile ground for the band to Rock. This record is fun from end to end. It's too bad Lester Bangs isn't alive to review it in Creem.