REVIEW: Simon Stinger, Devil On My Mind (Muscle Car)
- Joann D. Ball
The temperature is getting warmer, the nights are getting longer and that means it's perfect for good times and good tunes. If you crave new wave, don't bother digging out your old vinyl or firing up some random Eighties compilation. Crank up Simon Stinger's brand new CD Devil On My Mind instead for an unbelievable flashback to good old days.
It's totally obvious from the cover of Devo's "Girl U Want," which opens the 13-track Devil On My Mind, that Simon Stinger love that retro Eighties rock sound. Lead singer Alicia Perrone captivating vocals echo Siouxsie Sioux, Lena Lovich, Nina Hagen and Dale Bozzio. And it's the energetic sound and spirit of Missing Persons, and also the lesser known Canadian band National Velvet, that co-founder and bassist Victor James, Marcus Henderson (guitar) and Eric Oushan (drums) manage to resurrect and update with a fresh twist.
Formed in San Francisco in 1995, Simon Stinger have a dedicated following in the Bay Area. The quartet expanded their audience base even further last Fall when they opened for the Goo Goo Dolls and Tonic on the MP3 Music & Technology tour. And the fun and hook-filled Devil On My Mind, with the reckless abandon of guitar-driven tunes like "Summertime," "Swimmin'" and "Bigger Than You" should bring the band even more new fans. With "Dead On" sounding like the perfect track to follow the Go-Go's "This Town," and the dizzying "Fringe Authority" sounding like the missing song from the "Valley Girl" soundtrack, it's definitely yesterday once more. Actually, the anthem rocker "Fringe Authority" does appear in a movie - the song and the band are featured in the Miramax film "Diamonds" starring Dan Aykroyd, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall and Jenny McCarthy. Check out http://www.simonstinger.com to find out when Simon Stinger will bring the new wave back to your town!
