Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Sticky Licks, The
Label: Self-released
Released: 2012
Length: 14:41
Rating: 3/5
The Sitcky Licks are Carinthian-Styrian rock ‘n’ roll revivalists with a dose of punk connotation. But the whole thing is closer to Little Richard and/or Chuck Berry than to The Clash, if I may bluntly exaggerate to help you get your bearings. For everyone who likes listening to veterans The Sausages or newer potent stallions like Deck Janiels, this is undoubtedly a welcome change of pace.
The Sticky Licks aren’t reinventing the wheel. This is stripped-down, authentic garage-living rock ‘n’ roll rush that sounds catchy and likeable enough and carries that note of appealing authenticity, even if authenticity and recognizability are lacking from the starting line.
The band shows signs of beginner’s naivety in the tracks, since they’re predictable and dribble along the lines of rock-universe motifs we’ve heard many times before. Take the song »Imel te bom rad«, which even reeks of retro Yu-rock nostalgia in the style of the likes of Idoli, etc… The vocals bring the most punk connotation to the music of The Sticky Licks. They have a lower-pitched howl that would be ideal in late-eighties post-punk bands. In repetition, this howl can get annoying (see the exit in Imel te bom rad). It’s also not belted out with an even strength of interpretation across the verses, meaning it wavers. Occasionally it »runs out«, so traces of »dissonance« creep into the vocal delivery, which by and large doesn’t spoil the story, since the story of The Sticky Licks is first and foremost an exposé of a garage rock n’ roll orgy. This is a band that doesn’t play the beauty-implants card.
The band promises a studio debut. The EP brings a bundle of four tracks, from which it’s not hard to build an impression of what we can expect from the debut album. Certainly no musical revolution, but possibly a decent, primal, stripped-down and snappy rock album. Let’s hope the band manages to squeeze out more originality in terms of expression, and also cranks the knobs in the studio to the max and unleashes more noise and adrenaline rush onto the recording tape. Let’s wait and see what time brings.
Lineup
Mario Pešić – vocals
Bratko Zavrnik – guitar
Janez Rotman – guitar
Matic Burazer – bass
Primož Verdinek – drums
Production
The Sticky Licks
Tracklist
1. No Money Blues
2. Library
3. Imel te bom rad
4. Burns Out
