There’s this hopefully fictional character called Doctor Who travelling about the many dimensions of reality in his time machine thing. Retro wouldn’t mean a thing to him as he would already have seen it all before it had even happened. That’s the beauty of being one of those Time Lord chappies.
I might have been digressing but there is a point. Mascara Nites aren’t even from California – unless they have moved Canada when I wasn’t looking – and they are from the here and now. The point is that they have, in their self-titled album, pulled off that pure proto punk sound without even the slightest hint of irony. Escaping any accusations of revivalism, their relentlessly paced garage escapees like “Tiger Lily” or “Chocolate Bar” hiss, hum and distort just like the real thing did. Even better, Mascara Nites have got the attitude to convince you that they really are in it for the sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll just like the love children of The Nuns and The Ramones that they must surely be.
This album is rough and ready. Make no mistake about that but it is also authentic and true to the spirit of a time that won’t be seen again.
Naturally, this album is available on vinyl.