The Cramps Albums (10)
'Fiends of Dope Island'
Release Date 4/15/2003
Tracks 13
Label Vengeance
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What The Critics Say
Having decided long ago that messing with their one of a kind formula was a fruitless waste of time, the Cramps now seem happy to let albums such as 2003's Fiends of Dope Island perpetuate their unmistakable sound: authentic psychobilly riffs executed with garage punk panache, combined with fun-loving lyrics about bondage, drugs, Satanism, slasher flicks -- in sum, all things kitsch and trash culture. Even better, inexorable advancing age has apparently only served singer Lux Interior's desires, by helping him look like the gloriously decrepit B-movie monster that he's always wanted to be on the record's striking cover. Once inside, the Cramps' latest amusement park house of horrors of an album confirms that Interior is again up to his patented vocal tricks -- be it howling possessed on "Papa Satan Sang Louie," growling lasciviously on the (Seattle) Wailers' "Hang Up," exaggeratedly crooning like the King himself over Jerry Reed's "Oowee Baby," or convulsively "bow-bow-bowing" his way through "Elvis Fucking Christ!" As for his life partner in crime, Poison Ivy, her crunchy grooves shimmy their way across tracks like "Big Black Witchcraft Rock" and "Dopefiend Boogie"; her primal riffs pay tribute to Link Wray with the "Rumble" replica "Color Me Black"; and her stinging, fleet-fingered leads positively electrify anthems both swinging ("Fissure of Rolando") and ripping ("Wrong Way Ticket"), all the while conjuring mental images of her studiously disinterested expression under red bouffant and over high-heeled s**t-kicker boots, her cigarette dangling distractedly. Moving right along, the duo creates twisted surf music with both "Mojo Man from Mars" and "Taboo" (a cover of obscure songwriter Margarita Lecuona), and even makes sure to provide entertaining titles to weaker numbers like "Dr. Fucker M.D. (Musical Deviant)" and "She's Got Balls." The rhythm section of Chopper Franklin (bass) and Harry Drumdini (errr, drums) handles its appointed task (providing those raunchy stripper rhythms) capably and unobtrusively so the two head ghouls can do their thang. In short, a solid outing -- unmistakable as anyone but the Cramps -- that should neither detract nor add to their established legacy. Their fans could probably ask for nothing more at this stage. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As the Cramps approached their 20th anniversary, they showed no signs of changing their signature kitschy psychobilly style. In so many ways, Big Beat From Badsville is no different from its immediate predecessor, Flamejob, or any of the group's other records -- it's a collection of campy songs about sex, horror, violence, leather and perversion. Sonically, it's slightly rawer than Flamejob, and the group's performances are as inspired here as they are on any of their other '90s albums. And the songs are uniformly good, even if there aren't any standouts. So, Big Beat From Badsville is the kind of record that fans will be pleased with, but newcomers will just wonder what the big deal is. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Flamejob'
Release Date 1/1/1994
Tracks 15
Label Medicine Label/Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Something of a return to form, Flamejob features the band's most committed, energetic performances in quite some time, with wild, crazed vocals from Lux Interior and sizzling guitar work from Poison Ivy enlivening some of the band's most entertainingly stupid and crude offerings, including "Let's Get Fucked Up" and "Inside Out and Upside Down (With You)." The failed stylistic experiments of some then-recent work are gone, replaced by simple, straight-ahead vintage Cramps psychobilly. Also featured is a cover of "Route 66." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Like most latter-day Cramps records, Look Mom No Head! has a few frenzied highlights -- including the manic "Eyeball In My Martini" and the sleazy "Dames, Booze, Chains and Boots" -- but the band doens't keep the energy up throughout the course of the record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Cramps waited four years after their top-notch A Date with Elvis before releasing their next studio album. Most all the songs here follow the same rockabilly-based formula of previous releases. Many of the selections (such as "Daisys Up Your Butterfly," "Everything Goes," "All Women Are Bad," and a cover of "Muleskinner Blues") are cast in a moderate tempo, and the instrumental playing shows minimal song-to-song contrast. Lux Interior's vocals are comparatively reserved (though there are some exceptions, such as the snarling cover of "Shortnin' Bread"). Lyrics, too, are a bit tame by Cramps standards, the major exception being "Mama Oo Pow Pow," which has gleefully tacky verses about spanking and discipline that rival their most tasteless. "God Damned Rock 'N' Roll" is, for all practical purposes, a parody of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." The biggest surprise is the atypically soaring vocal on "Journey to the Center of a Girl." ~ David Cleary, All Music Guide
'Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand'
Release Date 1/1/1987
Tracks 14
Label Vengeance
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
From 1986 to 1990, the Cramps eschewed studio work in favor of extensive touring; this album documents a live show from August 1986. The sound quality is crude at best, but the Cramps' music and attitude are just as crude, so the already wild performances are actually somewhat enhanced. The repertoire relies heavily on A Date With Elvis and also features covers of "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Do the Clam." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After Psychedelic Jungle, the Cramps experienced personnel and record label difficulties; they would not release another studio album until this one, four years later. Gone here are the tinny sound quality and horror-flick-based lyrics of prior releases, replaced by clearer sonics and an often hilarious obsession with sex (examples of the latter can be found on "What's Inside a Girl?," "The Hot Pearl Snatch," "Cornfed Dames," "(Hot Pool of) Womanneed," "How Far Can Too Far Go?," and the uproarious single "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?"). There are numerous sly references in the verses to high and low cultural icons, including "Shake it one time for me" (a line from Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"), "I'll be dancing through the flames/Like a devil in disguise" (a nod to the Elvis Presley hit), and "Now there's more things in Tennessee/Than is dreamed of in your philosophy" (a paraphrase of a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet). Most of the songs here are in various rockabilly-derived styles featuring either garage rock fuzz or Duane Eddy twanging guitar from Poison Ivy. Vocalist Lux Interior is in excellent form here, exhibiting a fair bit of variety within his usual 1950s-derived approach. "Kizmiaz" is unique in the band's oeuvre, being a smarmy parody of 1960s hippie feel-good music; Ivy joins Interior on vocals here. Intonation is off in a few numbers (notably on "Kizmiaz," "The Hot Pearl Snatch," and "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?"), but this is not enough to detract from the overall excellence. This rollicking and energetic platter in particular is the equal of any in their canon, and an essential listen. ~ David Cleary, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One gets the feeling from the title and cover art alone that if the Cramps could have released this live document in Glorious Smell-o-rama they would have jumped at the chance. Even without it one can almost sense the whiffs of perspiration and energy the group was cooking up; recorded at New York's Peppermint Lounge with Powers on guitar, the quartet slams out a then mostly entirely new set of songs with, as expected, appropriate covers as needed. The wonderfully profane take on Hasil Adkins' "She Said" surfaces here, with Interior sounding like he's about to die more than once. The Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction" and the perfectly appropriate "Faster Pussycat," taken from the legendary Russ Meyer film of the same name, also give the band more than a little something to chew on. As for the originals, the usual mess of swampy rockabilly and industrial strength noise comes together in just the right way from the start. "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" gives Interior the chance to do his undead but still wired loveman thang right from the start, while Ivy and Powers hit the twang hard and Knox keeps everything going just right. "Call of the Wighat" is another highpoint, with Knox showing that he's up to more involved pounding and percussion when the need arises. A studio cut, "Surfin' Dead," surfaces as a ringer at the end; if not quite the Cramps go Beach Boys, it arguably forecasts the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Kill Surf City" just enough. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Here, Kid Congo Powers and Ivy form just as fine a team as she and Gregory did on earlier releases, and if things aren't always as flat-out fried as on Gravest Hits and Songs, the same atmosphere of swampy, trashy, rockabilly-into-voodoo ramalama reigns supreme. The song titles alone show the band hasn't really changed its sights any: the opening two cuts are covers, "Green Fuz" and "Goo Goo Muck," while originals include "Caveman," "Can't Find My Mind," and the brilliant "The Natives Are Restless." Then there's "Don't Eat Stuff Off the Sidewalk," which almost sounds worthy of a Frank Zappa freakout (at least lyrically). Other legendary tracks like "Primitive" and "Green Door" get the Cramps makeover this time out, with the proper mix of respect and hot-wired energy, while "The Crusher" sounds like Interior's on the verge of going completely insane. The Cramps themselves take over the production this time out, resulting in a cleaner, crisper sound (especially when it comes to Knox's drums) that isn't quite as wired, for better or for worse. As commanding showmen, though, the quartet's style comes through big time, with Interior throwing in appropriate yells, yipes, and other sounds where appropriate; his antics at the end of "Goo Goo Muck" are especially gone. If anything, the moodier strutting throughout increases the creepiness of what's afoot; if things aren't psychedelic in the commonly accepted sense, it's certainly not easy listening. Interior sometimes sounds almost normal, but with the sense that something strange is lurking just around the corner, and Ivy is still one of the best guitarists around, her snarling reverb worth a thousand fret-shredders. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Continuing the spooked-out and raging snarls of their Gravest Hits EP, the Cramps once again worked with Alex Chilton on the group's full-album debut, Songs the Lord Taught Us. The jacket reads "file under: sacred music," but only if one's definition includes the holy love of rockabilly sex-stomp, something which the Cramps fulfill in spades. Having spent Gravest Hits mostly doing revamps of older material, the foursome tackled a slew of originals like "The Mad Daddy" and "TV Set" this time around, creating one of the few neo-rockabilly records worthy of the name. Years later Songs still drips with threat and desire both, testament to both the band's worth and Chilton's just-right production. "Garbageman" surfaced as a single in some areas, a wise choice given the at-once catchy roll of the song and downright frightening guitar snarls, especially on the solo. The covers of the Sonics' "Strychnine" and Billy Burnette's "Tear It Up" -- not to mention the concluding riff on "Fever" -- all challenge the originals. Interior has the wailing, hiccuping, and more down pat, but transformed into his own breathless howl, while Ivy and Gregory keep up the electric fuzz through more layers of echo than legality should allow. Knox helms the drums relentlessly; instead of punching through arena rock style, Chilton keeps the rushed rhythm running along in the back, increasing the sheer psychosis of it all. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
