With hindsight, the Rocket's choreographed, anthemic garage punk peaked six years too early. Had they arrived in 2002, slicked-back and uniformed, chances are they would've stolen The Hives'thunder. Rock'n'roll may have caught up in the interim, but 1992's Circa: Now! remains ferociously potent. An inventive mix of grinding riffs, rabble-rousing choruses and Stax horn charts, it still sounds tremendous?like Dexys Midnight Runners schooled in US hardcore, loosely. A punchy new mix, four good bonus tracks and sleevenotes by Rocket kingpin John "Speedo" Reis complete the package: Reis' tale of recording in LA during the riots explains, in part, the album's vivid, fervid atmosphere.
With hindsight, the Rocket’s choreographed, anthemic garage punk peaked six years too early. Had they arrived in 2002, slicked-back and uniformed, chances are they would’ve stolen The Hives’thunder. Rock’n’roll may have caught up in the interim, but 1992’s Circa: Now! remains ferociously potent. An inventive mix of grinding riffs, rabble-rousing choruses and Stax horn charts, it still sounds tremendous?like Dexys Midnight Runners schooled in US hardcore, loosely. A punchy new mix, four good bonus tracks and sleevenotes by Rocket kingpin John “Speedo” Reis complete the package: Reis’ tale of recording in LA during the riots explains, in part, the album’s vivid, fervid atmosphere.
