Houserockin' - The Gories

The most primal of garage rock albums, House Rockin', the debut from Detroit's Gories, along with contemporary albums from Pussy Galore and the Gibson Brothers, set the standard for stripped-down, bare bones, do-it-yourself blues-punk. Thanks in large part to the remarkable pipes of guitarist/singer (though howler or growler is often more appropriate), Mick Collins, House Rockin' captures the feeling of electrified Delta blues transplanted into a desperate urban setting with straightforward power. The minimalist two-guitar interplay and primitive floor tom stomp proved to be all the Gories needed to conjure the funky Hastings Street of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun" (a cover of which is included here) and the sound of a house party fueled by too much cheap wine, too much insomnia, and just enough rhythm & blues. This, the 1995 reissue, features new cover art. ~ Chris Handyside, All Music Guide