KILLER TONE JONES
Death Ray Radio
by Killer Tone Jones
released 30th October 2024
Reviewed 23rd October 2024 by Callum Ross
Was Link Ray ever in The Cramps???? If he had been, this is what it might have sounded like.
Killer Tone Jones latest album ‘Death Ray Radio’ takes us on a B-Movie inspired garage rock ‘n’ roll journey listening to the fictional radio station ‘Death Ray Radio’. 13 songs (including 2 well known covers) are introduced with entertaining DJ skits and 50s movie style intros. The sound is addictive, the songs are infectious, and all this is delivered with a wicked sense of humour including the best song intro ever delivered: ‘Let’s play a song for all those medical equipment lovers out there, it’s time for Rubber Glove’
1/ DEATH RAY RADIO: After a short skit the powerful title song opens with a hypnotic surf guitar lick accompanied by heavy rhythm guitar and throaty vox reminiscent of early DAG. This is however not just 3 chord 12 bar material and in the middle we are enticed towards a Clash/SLF style break. This however does not last and within a few bars we find ourselves back singing along with the memorable ‘Death Ray Radio’ chorus which beautifully sets the theme for the rest of the album.
2/ VOODOO: Jungle style drumming lead us into this brilliant song before we hear the driving guitar riff and the catchy ‘Oh Ah Ah’ vocals which I promise you, will be in your head for hours after you have listened to this. Brilliant original song which maintains the garage sound without complying to the usual structure.
3/ FORMALDEHYDE: Another catchy guitar riff and heavy tremelo introduces us to this song that could be easily mistaken as being from The Cramps back-catalogue. The guitar is brilliant throughout this song and develops more and more as the song progresses, we are even treated to a classic surf sound break in the middle, before normal service is resumed.
4/ GODZILLA ROCK: Introduced by a Manga style skit this song has a slight Japanese feel driven mostly by gongs and cymbals and the catchy guitar riff. This song grows and grows on you and the only criticism is that I wanted it to go on longer, 2:30mins is too short.
5/ THE MODEL: This is the 1st of the covers included in the album and when I first realised that it was the Kraftwerk song from the 80s I couldn’t see how it could possibly work. But it does, and it works really well. The transposition of the keyboard synths to guitar has been executed perfectly and has turned a song that I despised in my youth to be a song I can finally listen to.
6/ TARANTULA CRAWL: Although Killer Tone Jones has a distinctive sound each song is very different and this is one gives us an unexpected surprise in the middle with a guitar solo which initially sounds out of style with the rest of the song….but it works, very well indeed.
7/ SPIDERS: Sticking with the arachnid theme Spiders is introduced by a great BREAKING NEWS radio Announcement about an outbreak of giant spiders in Los Angeles. In this song we hear a different style of singing from KTJ, moving away from the low, almost background growl to a more prominent style which even ventures into higher notes. Again this works and compliments the continued variety of with the album.
8/ DEAD STICK: Another song that breaks most of the traditional R’n’R rules but manages to maintain total garage rock sound. In line with the chorus this is a song made for listening to very, very loud in your car. From the very beginning the heavy guitar keeps the song driving forward and this is maintained throughout backed by yet another catchy guitar riff.
9/ PLEASE DON’T TOUCH: As this is a favourite song of mine I was really interested in hearing KTJ’s interpretation. It is less Johnny Kidd and much more Motorhead & Girlschool’s St Valentine’s Day massacre version, which is not a bad thing at all. Although less heavy than the metal collaboration guest female vocals alternate the verses and provides some excellent harmonies in the chorus. I love this.
10/ HANKEY SPANKEY: ‘I am Mama Lai. High voodoo priestess’ B-Movie skit starts the song all about a lady who get’s you under her spell however I am not totally sure whether this is a good thing or not? What I do know is that it is another ear-worm with another distinctive guitar riff driving through the track and a another great chorus which you will not forget.
11/ RUBBER GLOVE: I already mentioned the excellent skit which precedes this song, the good news is the song is even better even if the lyrics are a little bit dark at times, ‘Baby Baby open wide, gonna feel my rubber glove’. The main song riff creates a ‘deep south’/’country’ sound that is achieved without a lap steel and it sounds brilliant. This song is fast, the vocals are delivered menacingly and the as with all other songs on this album, the guitar delivers original and very creative riffs that evolve through the song. I absolutely love this one.
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