The Painkillers

THE AGE

THE AGE, Melbourne


Drunk on a Train
The Painkillers
(Blazing Strumpet/Reverberation)

4 stars out of 4.

James Baker played drums for many of Australia's great rock bands – the Victims, the Scientists, the Hoodoo Gurus and the Beasts of Bourbon – but left before they took off. And now he has applied his powerful primitive drumming style to new duo The Painkillers, teaming up with acoustic guitarist Joe Bludge. Drunk on a Train contains a suite of 11 lo-fi organic songs that fuse the early acoustic Bob Dylan with the detached cool and New York drawl of '80s solo era Lou Reed. The catchy title track and Wild & Western Land are reminiscent of the punk folk styling of soon-to-be-touring Hammell on Trial and punk poet Jim Carroll; while Facility Friend and the whimisical Honey Bees recalls slacker rocker J Mascis' mellower offerings and Porcupine is reminiscent of the Lemonheads at their most reflective. It's the cracked vocal, lived-in lyrics, loose playing and 3am on the couch-and-beerscharm that make it so appealing.

PATRICK DONOVAN
- Patrick Donovan (The Age)

The Painkillers injected a huge
shot of adrenaline into the room as soon as they hit the stage. They were absolutely on it tonight - shoes were kicked off, crazy dancing ensued, and there were smiles all round,
'cause these guys are incredibly infectious.

James Baker's toms sounded like
they were on 'roids... it was Painkillers 'tribal style', and it sounded great. (I'll make mention of the fact that he managed to do this whilst
wearing a long sleeved jumper in post 40 degree heat, and not batting an eyelid). Drunk
On A Train is always a favourite; it has the type of chorus that literally makes the listener feel satisfied when it kicks in - it's just that
good. And their cover of Love Will fear Us Apart is always well received also. - Perri Bastian (Xpress Mag)

The Painkillers injected a huge
shot of adrenaline into the room as soon as
they hit the stage. They were absolutely on it
tonight - shoes were kicked off, crazy dancing
ensued, and there were smiles all round,
'cause these guys are incredibly infectious.
James Baker's toms sounded like
they were on 'roids... it was Painkillers 'tribal
style', and it sounded great. (I'll make mention
of the fact that he managed to do this whilst
wearing a long sleeved jumper in post 40
degree heat, and not batting an eyelid). Drunk
On A Train is always a favourite; it has the
type of chorus that literally makes the listener
feel satisfied when it kicks in - it's just that
good. And their cover of Love Will fear Us
Apart is always well received also.

It's testament to the synergy that Joe Sludge and
James Baker possess as The Painkillers that despite
being but two rockers on an unusually large stage, they
,' can still fill a venue, any venue, with rock, from the
| very darkest corners of the room, right up to the rafters.
, Bakers' insistent drumming is persuasive enough, sitting
] stoically on the throne and holding a court of rock, he
i belts the living heck out of the drums with precision
; and feeling. B/udge's swagger and abilities as a singer/
• songwriter/guitarist complete the rock picture; the
, two together are a thoroughly entertaining ensemble.
; The duo opened up with Love Cancer, the title track
, off their new album, and filled the set out with old and
.'. new songs, notably crowd favourites like Drunk On A
< Train and Honey Bees. Inspiring some dancing from
the amassed crowd and sustaining the attention of all
through the modest set of stomping rock tunes and the
more heartfelt moments, The Painkillers are a band of
note and the night's set, along with the throngs that
left the venue with CD in hand, are evidence of this.
Love Cancer's a welcome addition to Baker and Bludge
catalogue, as well as to the annals of Perth rock, and
the whole evening leaves us eagerly wishing them both
the greatest in successes and many years of pleasing
Perth audiences ahead of them.
TRISTAN BROOMHALL
- Tristan Broomhall (Drum Media)