Music
Press
Oh man, this Greensboro, NC four should have been from L.A. A simplistic one-sentence description would be "X's Exene Cervenka fronting the Gun Club with Dave Alvin of The Blasters sitting in," but of course there's even more stylistic history-diving than even that wide range implies. "Kitten" is to surf what "Secret Agent Man" was; "What You Got On" is ..50s sleazy blues with a Texas twang; "Gimme Love" is punky-roots-garage; "I Want a Man" has Sun Records R&B/rockabilly jags; "Can't Cross Me" is Janis Joplin howling over The Hoodo Gurus; and so on. All of this is delivered with a devil-don't-care, lusty heat by gothy-crooner Hunny Goodnight (Must have been a Bond girl years back), dexterous, dirty guitar-slayer Van Serpico, and a keep it simple stupid (KISS), forward-leaning rhythm section. Hire'em for your drunken destruction party-if you dare. (malamondos.com) - Big Take-Over Magazine
The Malamondos, from Winston-Salem, refuse to take anything too seriously, something that is immediately evident on It’s A Bad World Baby!, the quartet’s new album of psycho-a-go-go ruckus.
The disc was produced by Rick Miller of Southern Culture On The Skids, a like-thinking man who adds the proper deep-fried sonic sleaze to this collection of songs about nighttime capers, fast cars and tight curves - and the women who drive and flaunt them.
It’s fun writ large, led by the coy, “I’m a bad-bad-fun girl” vocals (with a nod to Yma Sumac) of Hunny Goodnight, and the jittery twitches of guitarist Van Serpico, who plays guitar with the hang-10 grit and grind of a surfer boy trying to start a stalled super-charged Camaro. The entire album, song for delightful song, plays like the soundtrack for an episode of Scooby-Doo made for mature audiences - Swamp Thing songs for trailer-park surfin’ on a moonless night. Proof that in the wild, just-naughty-enough world of The Malamondos, there is no such thing as having too much fun. - Relish
The Malamondos - Roctopussy
Recorded by Rick Miller at Kudzu Ranch Recorders
| Mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B
The Malamondos' Roctopussy sounds like a hip-shaking, alcohol-infused monster party. Led by the high-pitched vocals of Hunny Goodnight and a fiery bouncing rhythm section, The Malamondos gleefully crash and burn through 15 tracks of surf-flavored garage rock on their follow up to It's a Bad World Baby. Produced by Southern Culture on the Skids' Rick Miller, The Malamondos clearly have an affinity for the couture of the 1950's edgier slice of life and the naughty flesh of sexual honesty (see the album's hidden track), culminating in a raucous rock 'n' roll album that sounds like The B-52's on speed or The Cramps blending harder-edged surf music with shockabilly sounds.
The pulsating, driving rhythms on Roctopussy bear relation to fervent rockabilly, go-go music and sublime qualities of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. But where the retro-catchiness ends the darkness creeps in ("Do The Temptation"). Roctopussy is fun but also elicits eeriness musically. "Great Bop Apocalypse" sounds like spy film music crossed with campy monster flicks, the guitar grinding along like a man chased through dark alleyways. The frenetic and hurricane wildness on "Crash," a surf guitar instrumental, comes across as both daunting and vibrant. "Mr. Power" squirms like a snake at the bottom of a pit, and the explosive "Juke Joint Jezebel" has guitar frenzy that may be the closest thing to a machine gun making noise put on record. The crash-up, bizarre party aesthetic of The Malamondos collides with '50s rockabilly and shades of psychedelia, brimming with as much musical fury as potent sexuality. (Red Car Records) (Bad World Records) - Southeast Performer
The Malamondos - Roctopussy
(Red Car Records)
by Chris Bennett
The Malamondos have correctly coined themselves as "The World's most diabolical Psycho-a-go-go band". The first spin of their sophomore release Roctopussy took me on a ride that melds surf-rock guitars, infectious-booty-shakin' bass lines, solid kit work, and the seductive lyrics delivered by Hunny Goodnight. The second spin secured this disk as the one of the most fun I've experienced in quite some time.
Most songs appearing on Roctopussy clock in under three minutes. The Malamondos waste no time on song structure and filler that don't fall in line with their sound. This North Carolina based quartet delivers a throw-back approach to rock n' roll that refuses to be ignored and shoves the sound (and style) down your throat. Think of the outcome if The Cramps got in a fight with Man or Astroman? and The Rolling Stones jumped in and knifed 'em all. Yes friends, it's that fun and unexpected.
The reverb-soaked twang delivered by Van Serpico conjures thoughts of rockabilly parties complete with hip-swaying debauchery and swing dancing. The lyrics invoke the dark-side of classic rock that focus on excess and lust. The cover of The Rolling Stones "Paint it Black" provides a fresh spin on one of the most classic rock anthems ever written...a feat that not many contemporary bands could execute.
All things considered, everyone needs a disk like Roctopussy in their catalog. Put it on for a party, roll it out for night of seduction or play it loud while racing your '55 Ford Fairlane down the line. This is classic rock n' roll that delivers everything except the duck-ass hair cut and pomade. Their focus is delivering a good time; and a good time they deliver.
So friends...grease up your hair, get out your leather jacket and grab your switchblade daddy-o. This is one ride down memory lane you don't wanna miss. - MishMash Magazine
Discography
Singles
Done to You (2003)
Compilations
“Done to You,” Get Out of My Garage, Punk! Illbilly Records (2005)
“Friction,” The Brides of Electric Frankenstein, Varla Magazine & Conformist Records (2006)
Albums
It’s A Bad World, Baby! Bad World Records (2007)
Roctopussy Red Car Records (2008)
Several songs from both CDs have been played on stations across the country, including WFMU and Sirius. We've been played on many, many podcasts.
Photos
Bio
For the past six years The Malamondos have made their mark on the headboard of Psycho-A-Go-Go rock-n-roll with their seductive vocals, tremolo-verbed twang-n-growl and tightly-thunderous back-beats. With influences ranging from The Rolling Stones and The Sonics to Russ Meyer and The Muppets, it should come as no surprise that The Malamondos have crafted such a unique and instantly intoxicating sound. Spreading the words and rhythms of a darker and more provocative world of sex, lies, and audiotape, The Malamondos have shown the masses that live music and good times were alive and well.
Their formula is simple — take pounding, primal dead-of-night beats from the shady beatnik soul of drummer Max Diablo. From his twisted half-brother Mick Diablo, add bass that jump-starts your heart and shakes your body. Liberally apply guitar wrenched from surf and growling garage, coaxed from a moonless night by a plotting Van Serpico. Haunting, gutsy and authoritative vocals top the barely contained swagger of the band as sultry siren Hunny Goodnight weaves her insidious plans for world domination.
In June of 2008 these best-laid plans began to ferment as Red Car Records released The Malamondos sophomore CD, Roctopussy. Recorded with legendary Southern Culture on the Skids frontman Rick Miller, Roctopussy drips with tales of lust, jealousy and hell-raising like “Bad Bad Fun Girl,” “Do the Temptation,” “Tittyboom” and “Malvina.” Evil plans were furthered with national exposure as their song "Condoms and Candy" was selected as background music for an episode of the newly revived Knight Rider show on NBC.
2009 promises to be another sin-tastic year, as recording sessions are planned with Joe Queer (from the legendary punk band The Queers) and Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Dirtbombs, Gore Gore Girls)!
But Don’t Take Our Word For It...
“...like going in to a porn shop in Europe at 2:30 in the morning! It's erotic and scary all at the same time...” - TJ the DJ, 88.7 WFOS
“...the soundtrack for an episode of Scooby-Doo made for mature audiences - Swamp Thing songs for trailer-park surfin’ on a moonless night. Proof that in the wild, just-naughty-enough world of The Malamondos, there is no such thing as having too much fun.” - Ed Bumgardner Relish
“A simplistic one-sentence description would be ‘X‘s Exene Cervenka fronting the Gun Club with Dave Alvin of The Blasters sitting in,’ ...Hire'em for your drunken destruction party-if you dare.” Jack Rabid Big Take-Over
If The New York Dolls and Southern Culture on the Skids had a bastard child it would be called The Malamondos. - Random blogger
Great, rollicking, fun weirdness. - Random blogger
The Lowdown
Shared the Stage With Southern Culture on the Skids, Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers, Holly Golightly, Dexter Romweber, The Forty-Fives, The Gore Gore Girls, The Charms, Jimmy & the Teasers, The Straight 8’s, and The Spinns
Links
