I’m having this pretty weird vision in my head while I’m trying to grab the essence of Shannon and the Clams– I’m seeing a heartbroken John Waters trying to be a good girl, I’m seeing the sweetest pop music turning into a psycho-killer lollipop from too much overdrive and most of all I’m seeing lots of eccentric fucked-upness. Just look at these crazy Californian guys and you would probably know more of this band than any shitty record reviews could ever tell – the harshest of good old pin-up style, some weird uniforms, lots of gayness and colors everywhere, so obviously all of these (alongside with the catchy melodies) are about FUN and the result is fully pleasing.

Still, Shannon and the Clams are by no means a scam band with only one cheaply over-hyped debut album – Dreams in the Rat House is already their third full-length release while Shannon is also involved in Hunx and his Punks (another brilliantly gay band) and Cody is simply King Lollipop –  I honestly think they’re just getting better and better in their songwriting skills. If I was a bitch, I would even be envious of them, haha.

All in all, this LP is a perfect pick for the summer for any record junkies who enjoy surf pop with an almost sickening overdose of a hundred different bubblegum flavors, or who appreciate some troubled, nastier allusions meanwhile, or who are still fond of the garage ideal (i. e. exploding band dynamics plus infectious energies) or who are really fed up with bands trying to make an intellectual / arty impression. 

Dreams in the Rat House is out now on Hardly Art Records – sorry for demonstrating the album here so poorly but I’m afraid the label is a lot eager to make you listen to the vinyl and they are probably right!

Or you can catch Shannon and the Clams on tour in France and Belgium this July!