Music Review: Sonny Vincent And The Bad Reactions - Self Titled 7"

Sonny Vincent is a punk rock ICON. He's been making music for well over 30 years going back to the mid/late 70's with his old band The Testors. He's played C.B.G.B.'s and Max's Kansas City, shared the stage with The Cramps among others and has played in bands with Bob Stinson, Cheetah Chrome, Scott Asheton, and Captain Sensible. And now he's back with a new band, The Bad Reactions, and a new self titled 7" that is faster, heavier and more dangerous than pretty much anything out there today!

Kicking this off is "Replica". It kicks in with that all to familiar Sonny guitar tone, fuzzed out and hard. It's sounds like a freight train headed straight for a brick wall. It's a played with such intensity that you feel like the bands gonna implode at any given second. Sonny still sounds vibrant vocally, and his guitar playing is still flawless. The man never seems to age. He's playing at his best here, soloing like his life depends on it. And who knows...maybe it does! Maybe THAT'S why after close to 40 years the man has never stopped recording music and touring the world. It's in his DNA, this thing called punk rock. And he's not afraid to let loose on that old Gibson Les Paul and melt faces along the way.

"Stare Down" is the fasted song I think I have ever heard Sonny play. The power and speed of those downstokes would make Johnny Ramone squirm in his seat. And the band, Sonny (vocals/guitar), Josh Martin (guitar/vocals), Jon (bass) and Luis Herrera (drums), is tighter than a frogs wet asshole. You got great seasoned players who know how to bring out the best in these songs, and compliment each others playing as well. If Sonny keeps this band and records a full length, I can almost guarantee it will be as legendary as anything The Testors did before. He's got a super talented band here.

Closing out this 7" is, probably my favorite track on the album, "Jokers And Clowns". This is a slower jam, but still has the energy and passion to make it a solid rocking track. It's very reminiscent, musically, of The Testors classic "Time Is Mine". But this is a classic in it's own right. With Sonny singing about "all the fakes and the garbage piled up high", you can't help to feel this guy has stayed true to what he believes in and has never tried to sell out to clear a fat paycheck from some major label. This is a band who play music the way they want, no matter what the ramifications may be. And I think that's what has always been so appealing about Sonny Vincent to me...he's the REAL DEAL! A true rock n roll troubadour in the highest regard! If you like your punk rock raw and real, pick this 7" up now! They just don't make em like this anymore!


5 / 5 stars