Country: Greece
When I first heard “La Guerre” from Athens City power trio The Smoking Hiccup Machine, I found myself pretty steamrolled. Here was this band daring to sound like Iggy Pop, Queens of the Stone Age and the Dead Kennedys rolled up into one, and having the audacity to do it well. Having released their debut LP A Presence in the Maze this year, it’s not like they’ve been toiling away from decades perfecting that sound. “La Guerre” already hits the zenith of punk rock n’ roll, with a thumping, heavy rhythm & blues beat, and syncopated vocals backed by a skittering guitar. You could imagine Iggy dancing to this song all by himself in a post-apocalyptic disco.
Tracks like “Bugs” and “Stay Behind” are full of hard rock gumption and tempered bass lines that sound like the soundtrack to deep state paranoia. There’s a pure, rawness to their recordings that have the same immediacy to underground bands of the 70’s, and they pack the same kind of punch as groups like MC5, even as a trio.
Transport your mind to fun and dreary places listening to a couple of the band’s tracks in our World Watch Playlist!
The Indy Review 