Los Pakines

The infectious and varied Peruvian cumbia sound of the ‘60s & ‘70s has experienced a remarkable resurgence in the last 10 years with a high tide of reissues. Legendary labels like Lima’s Infopesa (Industria Fonografica Peruana S.A.) and reissue labels like Madrid’s Vampisoul, who acquired the entire Discos MAG catalog in 2022, are some of the major movers. After some excellent overview compilations like Vampisoul’s Cumbia Beat volumes and Infopesa’s Cumbias Chichadélicas: Peruvian Psychedelic Chicha, the labels are now offering single artist anthologies and individual album reissues in response to the recent surge of interest in this music. In 2015 Infopesa released this Los Pakines collection, which includes their first two albums Los Pakines Y....."Pasto Azul" and Los Pakines in their entirety. Further, the master tapes were utilized to present both albums, originally released in 1973, in the highest fidelity possible.

Los Pakines started as a surfy instrumental group with their influences ranging from the local Lima instrumental combos like Los Belking’s, Los Jaguar’s, Los Holy’s, Los Destellos (the Flashes) to international instrumental purveyors the Shadows and the Ventures. It has been documented that Infopesa owner Alberto Maraví swayed them to augment their instrumental sound with Peruvian cumbia-itself an infectious blend of Cuban guaracha and Colombian rhythms. Brothers José "Pepe" Torres Liza and Alejandro "Pakin" Torres Liza started the band that remains active to this day. Alejandro composed a majority of their songs and played the timbales, while brother José "Pepe" provided the fluid lead guitar adorned with romantic flourishes. Alejandro's churning click-clack percussion establishes the solid rhythmic foundation for the interplay between the rhythmic and lead guitars. Their melodies go into some unexpected directions-sometimes turning corners unto entirely new melodies.

Things get going on "Ramo de Rosas" (“Bouquet of Roses”) as the bucking percussion kicks in between the driving guitar sounds. Poppy “Ya, La, La, La” vocables are hinged upon serpentine guitars that coil through tangles of tropical psychedelia on “San Luis.” Similar vocal shadings wrap around “Solitario,'' a jaunty tune that takes a circuitous route around “Theme from a Summer Place,” “Blue Moon” and even “The Bristol Stomp.”  Reflecting local color and history, they even named a song after the Peruvian 18th-century entertainer & mistress Micaela Villegas, known as La Perricholi. “La Perricholi” is a joyous, exquisite and percolating number from their debut album featuring the clicking sound of the guacharaca, a percussion instrument made from a small palm tree and also known colloquially as a scraper. The guacharaca also appears on “Tania,” reminding me of ? and the Mysterians covering “The Theme to Hang ‘em High.”

They began to get harder and heavier on their second self-titled album as unison vocals are incorporated on “Tómalo o Déjalo” (“Take or Leave It”) and mirror the North American West Coast groups like El Chicano and Santana. “Fue Una Mentira” (“It Was A Lie”) is a shimmering vocal tune featuring a liquidy guitar sound made possible by delay. The song is also reminiscent of the Ghetto Brothers, the early ‘70s Puerto Rican group from the South Bronx. The highly skilled Los Pakines had domestic success for decades and also achieved international acclaim in the ‘70s & ‘80s-as heard on the 1975 live album Los Pakines En Miami. Their songs, both simultaneously foreign and familiar, evoke distant coastal lands and cross-pollination as well as departures and landings. It is no surprise their records spread all over Latin American and are now being rediscovered. Their captivating sound helped create a golden musical era in Peru and their recordings continue to take flight 50 years later. 

The Highmarts-World Tour: Greatest Hits + Dodgy Demo

A rush of excitement and anticipation came over me when I first saw this release. I have been following the Highmarts via their singles and now Soundflat Records (of Germany & Japan) has stirred things up during this most wearing stretch of summer with World Tour.  According to the Tokyo Weekender, the Highmarts are the future of the Tokyo garage scene. The current version of the band includes Atsushi Hagimoto (Bass/Vocals Support), Minako Ishikawa (Drums/Vocals Support) and guitarist and singer Suzu, who remains the founding member of the band. Past line-ups included Karin, who currently drums for the indie-pop wonders Hazy Sour Cherry. The album cover is notable for featuring a new band logo with a Zenith “Z” splitting their name. (Zenith was a major American consumer electronics brand before being bought by LG in 1999.) Also of note is the very cool '90s Buddy Holly sweatshirt worn by drummer Minako Ishikawa in the band photo.

Notice the Golden Cups lettering

Greatest Singles I recall seeing their first single “I Want You Bad” prominently featured at Time Bomb Records in Osaka in 2019.  The single, produced by Sally Kubota, also includes a cover of the Gestures’ “Run, Run, Run.” Fittingly, the scampering “I Want You Bad” begins the World Tour album. This album title was directly inspired by the trio’s recent touring of France. It’s heartening to know that the Japanese groups are once again whirling around on overseas tours. The first side of World Tour consists mainly of their originals, which previously appeared as singles. Also included are some live versions of their singles like “Hey Boy” and a few Japanese Group Sounds (GS) and American covers. They definitely bring out the brightness in the old standard “CC Rider/Jenny Jenny.”

         

With its CCR-ish intro and Beatlesque closing chord, “Hold Me” is a first-half highlight. This single, originally issued by Mexico City's Chez Nobody Records, demonstrates their current ability to project dynamics and dimensions by ramping up backing vocals, while tracking their ongoing direction. I'm guessing their current approach has also been sparked by their perceived influences-ranging from U.S. ‘60s legends the Shangri-Las, the Ronettes, the Luv’d Ones as well as ‘90s underdogs like the Prissteens to even the eyelined garage sound of 15 years ago whipped up by the Raveonettes and the Detroit Cobras. In turn, it seems like Highmarts are inspiring current Japanese trios such as the Questions (Okinawa).

Dodgy Demo The second half of the record is the complete Dodgy Demo which was originally released as a limited merch table cassette. They take “Test Drive” by Takeshi Terauchi and Bunnys out into Davie Allan & the Arrows fuzzy mirage territory. A song titled “That Summer Feeling" was one of the first things I noticed when previewing the track listing. Could it be the yearning Jonanthan Richman song? It's not the Jonathan Richman song, but an atmospheric, distorted and swirling original by Suzu and sung in Japanese. Lovely melodies and harmonies shine through the sheets of sound-resonating somewhere between Slumber Party, Red Kross and the Amps. I also hear faint echoes of "Voodoo Doll" by the Queers in the melody. Up Next The catchy “I’m So Sorry” could be their signature song as it’s a clear standout. The Highmarts are incorporating a much stronger power-pop element (a la the Baby Shakes) which solidifies, diversifies and enhances their sound. This style truly suits them. “It’s All Over Now” dramatically unfolds next.  Fittingly it’s a spirited theme song to an imaginary movie that conceptually exists only as a poster design concept from Rockin’ Jelly Bean. These most recent finely tuned recordings indicate they are punching through to the next level. Overall, World Tour presents the adventures of the Highmarts searching and finding their own original sound. It also might be the garage rock record of the summer.

Atsushi Hagimoto (Bass), Minako Ishikawa (Drums) and Suzu (Guitar, Vocals)

The Wildebeests – Go Wilde In The Countrye

With 1997's Go Wilde in the Countrye, the Wildebeests arguably released one of the best garage rock albums of the ‘90s. The Edinburgh, Scotland trio are one of those groups, like the Cynics, who took the best from ’66 & ’77 and beyond to forge their own distinctive sound. While the unsung group had the courage to set out on their own path during the ‘90s garage revival, by and large their recordings have somewhat unjustly slipped through the cracks over the decades. The band features Lenny Helsing of the Thanes, bass player John Gibbs (the Kaisers, Holly Golightly Band, the Masonics) and vocals/guitars provided by Russell Wilkins. Wilkins is also a key figure in the Medway/Billy Childish scene and has extensive experience with the Pop Rivets, Thee Milkshakes and the Delmonas.

They were a last minute fill-in for the Kaisers at the first Las Vegas Grind weekender in October 1999.  I remember attendees being pretty crestfallen as they were anticipating seeing both the Neatbeats and the Kaisers on the same night at the same festival. They whipped the crowd into an instant frenzy and canceled their disappointment as soon as the first chord was struck. Their stage command and incendiary, yet melodic sound carried them through to impress the international audience and set up things perfectly for the Neatbeats (who played at the peak of their powers).  Russell Wilkins exhibited a certain savoir-faire with his resolute vocals and stage presence.  Further, he was able to achieve a pretty bold tone on the guitar that both growled and snarled.

The Wildebeests-at the Las Vegas Grind-October 29, 1999

This record encapsulates their sound that is simultaneously raw and ready, yet refined due to the accomplished and astute musicians involved. Their distinguishing characteristic is their ability to achieve a pretty fierce, thick, murky, melodic and full-blown sound within their self-imposed limitations. Additionally, their well-versed knowledge of music is second to none as exemplified by their deep-end covers that truly stretch across the decades of recorded music, while also displaying their propensity towards variety. The rumbling opener “I Need You” is not the Kinks song, but the next one “World Keeps Going Round” was definitely inked by Ray Davies. Next, they explore the unvarnished Pacific Northwest ‘60s sound with the R&B instrumental “5A Gibbs Entry.” The trio also excel at pointed manifestos (“This is My Year”) and determined declarations (“Standing Alone” CD-only).  There is an overall dynamic flow to the sequencing as their standout cover of the Ramones’ “Suzi is a Headbanger'' is perfectly placed between the aforementioned “This is My Year” and “Bad Storm Coming.” By the way, “Bad Storm Coming” sounds like quintessential American moody '60s garage punk. However, it was originally done by London’s Downliners Sect on their 1965 Country Sect album.

Beat & pop sensibilities frequently shine through their jagged sound that sometimes veers off into freakbeat. They also prove they can pull off the ‘40s and ‘50s blues on the old Bukka White/Mose Allison standard “Parchman Farm” and the Willie Dixon/Muddy Waters' vehicle “I Live the Life I Love.” The Wildebeests certainly go much further back into the roots, weeds and bogs than most bands. For instance, “Temptation” is the old 1933 evergreen first made famous by Bing Crosby and they deliver in formidable fashion making it sound like the natural precursor to the rockabilly/garage standard “Jezebel.”

It may be heresy in some quarters, but the Wildebeests go beyond the Medway sound and frankly, no other group sounds like them. Go Wilde in the Countrye captures their forward momentum of the time. It’s also one of those perfect albums to play on the drive home from work. In a way, they presaged the Kent 3, the Embrooks and Reigning Sound with their ability to combine surging immediacy and concision with expansive knowledge and skillful musicianship. Once again, the SFTRI label had the foresight to release another stellar record that has more than stood up and endured here in the '20s. This album should remain on the forefront when it comes to ‘90s garage rock.

L to R: John Gibbs (bass), Lenny Helsing (drums), Russell Wilkins (guitar)