Charity Killjoy

CHARITY KILLJOY

If I find a garage rock song on one of the many compilation albums in my collection that I truly love, I will often try to track down a retrospective album by the band to see what else they have recorded. In this case, I found a 22-track CD on Distortions Records called Enough. Unlike many such albums, which are basically a collection of miscellaneous, unconnected songs, this Bohemian Vendetta CD really sounds like an album. Highlights include the early single “Like Stoned” (which has the feel of a Dutch “Nederpop” song with its offbeat tune and unusual vocal style), their last single “Riddles and Fairytales” (both the album version and the 45 version are included), “Charity Killjoy” (which was bumped from the Mainstream album in favor of “Satisfaction”), the willfully eccentric “Paradox City”, and of course “Enough”, a plaintive plea from a guy who is fed up with his girlfriend.

(April 2011)