Search - Henry's Dress :: Henry's Dress

If Phil Spector was Malcolm McLaren, he might have produced

John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 12/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tinnier and buzzier, fitting like their follow-up LP "Bust 'em Green" into the era when transistors transmitted what we were meant to hear rather than IPods and Bose. The amateur quality of this recording, as with so many Slumberland releases, adds to its charm. If you like this, check out Black Tambourine on that same label, among other releases. This is not any Back to Mono sonic feast, but neither is it the disposable pop it masks itself as. It's even more primitive than the LP, and that's warning you or enticing you. There's intelligence, wit, and manufactured menace aplenty.

It's dominated by a de-evolved girl-group ambiance, which will blossom in Amy's next band The Aislers Set. This pose of innocent mayhem combines with a mod-punk approach reminding me a bit of Unrest in its appropriation of post-punk assault with early-60s insouciance. Too short, yes, but any album with a song called "You Killed a Boy For Me" merits a space on your short shelf, wouldn't you agree?"