Released on May 9th 2022 on Trash Wax - Record Label Buy the album here: https://chiffchaffsband.bandcamp.com/album/up-to-no-good (digital) or here https://www.trashwax.com/.../chiff-chaffs-the-up-to.../... (LP) Reviewed on 10/03/2023 Reviewed by Holger E @radioteddyboys1983
The Band : Gilles on Vocals – Guitar, Autys on Bass – Vocals, Nolf on Organ and Jan on Drums Rocking your eardrums since 2021 with a wild mix of Psychedelic and Psychotic Psychobilly/Rock’n’Roll and Garage Beats and even more Instru-Mental tracks.
Track by Track: 1.: Twist De La Lys: That's an intro i did not expect. Slightly off-beat Drums but once the Guitar and Organ kick in it becomes an swell drag in the Bass and the whole track magically turns into this kind of surf-beat instrumental track, WOW 2.: Hey Girl: The Organ from space that presents you a mix of Beat-Punk that you can not put in any drawer. To which the vocals have this slight 70’s flair to bedazzle you. 3.: Red Lights: A touch of skin crawling from the Organ combined with the Vocals transport you straight back to the experimental stage of music way back from the late 60’s and early 70’s. Cymbal heavy Drums give a perfect backdrop to the riff happy surf’ish Guitar. The Bass fills the rest of the track with a nice and low growling. 4.: Kawa Bunga: The big surf is up. Beatnik girls are dancing to the earworm like Guitar riff accompanied by the Organ. Drums and Bass are just off to the left and right to push out the Surfboard. 5.: I Ain’t Dead: Cool sounding and aggressive Psycho-Punk Vocals. The track has some beautiful changes in tempo to really push the fact that he is not dead. Some effects on the Guitar makes it stand out without overpowering the Vocals. Drums and Bass just sitting there to pounce to the break of the track and by god these guys are good. The Organ injects some harmonies to round off the song. 6.: Last Robbery: Low down Bass giving you the right kicking to wake you up. Again the Organ gives it a surf twist and the screaming Guitar draws in the forgotten time of the 70’s Mix the Vocals in and out comes a punk track which is not punk. 7.: Wrong Again: This screams Surf-Punk. TomTom happy Drums with an easy going Guitar that throws in some riffs on the quiet parts. The Bass is dancing around nicely while at the same time the Organ gives the song a fuller feel. 8.: Fuego Fuego: Loaded reverb Guitar waiting to get going. Soft Drums turning happy and heavy after the Guitar gave the ok. The Bass is well able to keep up with the Guitar playing sometimes the same riff. This track would not be the same without the all so mighty Organ. 9.: Blood On The Bed: The best description would be Garage-Freak-Surf Beats.Think of all the Garage bands you ever heard and mix lots of Surf and Beat into it. From soft to screaming Vocals with very dark clouds around it. Bubbling Bass just sitting in the background to push the shuffling Drums to the front. The Organ moves in and out of the track to fill the quieter and often more aggressive spots of the vocals. 10.: Black Coffee: It is as bouncy as a black coffee. Crazy Vocals layered in shrill Guitar riffs. And in comes the Bass and Organ to bounce off each other. Simple played Drums gives you the feel of holding it all together. 11.: The Fly: The Fly lost it’s Vocals and now we have a Guitar on reverb which rips it up in conjunction with the Organ. The last time Drums and Bass kept it all in line but still shine in their own ways. Instru-Mentals-Garage-Punk-Surf at its finest.
Summary: If you would have told me about the Chiff Chaffs i would have dismissed them but i listen and listen and at the end i have to say that it is all so funky fresh and weird in a good way.
YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/nrWRg9geSWU
