Pink Mexico – Fool

Somewhere between the fuzzy acid drenched vibes of 60’s garage rock and the more recent garage rock resurgence lie Pink Mexico, this is their sophomore album, following up 2013’s Pnik Mexico. Apparently this album was written in a windowless ten by ten rooms from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, fueled by hangovers, coffee and cigarettes. Personally I can’t help wondering if anything else was consumed in those rooms, and just how long they spent in there, as this has an incredibly authentic feel about it.

Opening track Buzzkill launches the album with a fuzzy upbeat guitar riff with a vocal delivery reminiscent of the 60s garage bands, the album carries on in this vein and delivers low fi fuzzy goodness with more than distinct nod to the bands that emerged out of the garages in the mid 60’s clutching Vox Phantom’s and a handful of suspicious pills. This is probably the closest thing I’ve heard to authentic record of that era since The Fuzztones, whereas those self proclaimed guru’s of garage directly recreated the look and sound of the era, I get the feeling that Pink Mexico is a much more organic affair, rather than a contrived attempt to recreate the sound of a previous era.

The relentless barrage of upbeat fuzz stops rarely relents, except for the downbeat number Darkness Is My Sherbert  and the untitled, and unnecessary, jarring final track, the rest of Fool is a rather joyous snotty chunk of garage rock. Most of the tracks contained on this album wouldn’t sound out of place alongside the bands that eventually populated the wonderful Pebbles compilations. I in no way think Fool is just a retro album, but it is so heavily influenced by the garage rock of the 60s it’s hard not to think of it in those terms, maybe contemporary retro garage is a thing? regardless, this is a damn fine album and one I think will be a fine addition to the collection of anyone who appreciates their garage rock with a primitive edge.

 Visit the Burger Records website to order Fool here