Tha Retail Simps - Live on Cool Street (2023) [Hi-Res]

For their sophomore release Montreal slop-mongers Retail Simps swap out the oafish "Tha" in their name in favor of a more erudite "Theee." Is it a sign that they've matured? They seem to have moved past their party band phase, dropping most of the sleazy frat rock and Stax-strut R&B influence that tempered the White Light/White Heat-meets-Electric Eels proto-punk of their debut. Instead, this record borrows a lot from the later '60s or early '70s—sometimes literally. "Yeah You're Right" is their budget funk adaptation of the 1970 Meters song and "Keeper of the Fire'' covers Buffy Sainte-Marie's 1969 swamp rock ripper. They've also added a troupe of backup singers (the Simpettes) and a horn "section," the Horny Boys (two dudes with three horns—sax, trombone, and trumpet). It makes the album seem more like a big production somewhat akin to the excesses from classic rock records of the time. Even the Velvet Underground base that they often build atop has shifted out toward Loaded or Lou Reed's solo stuff—the one exception being the album closer "Easy Street," an excellent riff on "Sister Ray." That's not to say this is a thoughtful record for grownups, by any means! There are plenty of rickety, Raw Power-ed rockers to satisfy greasy punks. And even when the fare on offer is perhaps a tad more sophisticated, it's hard to tell because the entire platter has been deep fried. Album highlight "The River" is essentially a sincere "Wild Horses"-esque ballad that's delightfully undercut by a nutso vocal performance from lead Simp, Joe Chamandy, who does his best Rolling Thunder screaming Dylan impression with the microphone inside his mouth. This is clearly the same old Simps, and they've made another incredible record.


Tracklist:
1.01 - Tha Retail Simps - Wrong Direction (3:36)
1.02 - Tha Retail Simps - Weapon of the Mystic (2:05)
1.03 - Tha Retail Simps - The River (5:15)
1.04 - Tha Retail Simps - Keeper of the Fire (2:40)
1.05 - Tha Retail Simps - Spirit Out (2:16)
1.06 - Tha Retail Simps - Wrong Side Of It (2:46)
1.07 - Tha Retail Simps - Beat of the Rain (4:11)
1.08 - Tha Retail Simps - Save Your Opinion (2:24)
1.09 - Tha Retail Simps - Itch Is the Sitch (2:44)
1.10 - Tha Retail Simps - Easy Street (5:20)