The Clocks - The Saint, The Sinner, The Virgin and The Dynamo - Track Star Records

Review by: Jennifer Perkins

The first time I ever heard of The Clocks this kid in Santa Ana, CA was gushing about them. He had just seen them at Koo’s and was professing his new found love for them . Ever since I had been terribly curious about this buzz band. When my package arrived from Track Star Records complete with The Clocks The Saint, The Sinner, The Virgin and The Dynamo I rushed right over to the CD player to pop it in.

I was not disappointed by the hype. This CD is brimming with upbeat vintage-punk numbers, and a whole lot of auditory attitude and fun. The Clocks seem like a band you would hear play at a party. All those kids who keep the companies that make black hair-dye in business would be dancing all around in ecstasy.

The Clocks although from modern day Philly could mesh right in to early 90’s Olympia, WA. They are very much cultivating the snot nosed sounds of apparently influential bands like The Pee Chees. Slightly whiney male vocals being belted out over simplistic guitar, drums and bass. Good old fashioned bare boned rock music.

There is also some homage paid to gospel 60’s music lovers the Delta 72 and The Make Up. All the while maintaining that stripped down punk rock feel, there is something very 60’s about The Clocks. Especially on songs like “This Ain't Your Party” and “Flowerbox” with the shake-shake-shake of a tambourine helping to keep the beat. The recording and production on the CD is so intentionally hollow it also really adds to the retro-mod feel of the whole thing.

The Clocks seem to have a broad and extensive knowledge of musical history. You can hear influences from all over the place in their music. You can imagine The Clocks grew up listening to their parents Kinks and Who records, but at the same time had the entire Kill Rock Stars catalog in their possession and good bit of Dischord too. How could you go wrong with that mix? The kid in Santa Anna was pretty right on, The Clocks really are a great band and The Saint, The Sinner, The Virgin and The Dynamo is in fact a record worth having in your possession.

Read where Track Star Records got their name from here.