THE EROTICS RARITIES & REACHAROUNDS 2011

1. Down In Flames
2. Kicked In The Teeth
3. Pills For My Thrills
4. Girls On Drugs
5. Luuft Waff Bop
6. Born In The USA (Bruce Springsteen Cover)


Let’s set things straight right now about The Erotics - Rarities & Reacharounds EP...if you are looking for that feel good, chill out CD, this is not for you. That’s not a bad thing in this case. The Erotics have a way of making you feel dirty and unworthy. You can almost smell the stale beer and cigarettes listening to this disc of songs, culled together from 1996-2001, covering 4 of the bands different line-ups.

Starting things off with “Down In Flames” from 1996, a fast paced punk rocker with Mike Trash’s trademark snarling vocals, you immediately get the feeling that your ears are about to be raped with a fiery poker. “Kicked In The Teeth” from 1999, could be labeled as a love song for gluttons for punishment, basically saying that love is shit, but we’ll keep coming back to it, no matter how much it hurts.

Remember when I said this CD will make you feel dirty? You’ll be wanting to take a shower and scrub with steel wool after “Pills For My Thrills” from 1999. Those who remember The Erotics song, “Teenage Drag Queen” will see this as being it’s ugly step-sister with big tits. You feel bad listening to it, but you can’t escape it’s pull on you. “Girls On Drugs” from 1999 is next, and the band brings it down a notch with this acoustic ditty, which really works well. “Luuft Waff Bop” is what Elvis Presley would sound like if he covered Ramones songs. It’s just a fun and catchy tune, which is one of my favorites on the disc.

But all of this brings us to the highlight of the CD...The Erotics cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA” which is a true treasure. The song was recorded in 2001 at the height of the 9/11 attacks. AS much as it is an anthem for patriotism, the punk flavor gives the song a new “Don’t fuck with me” attitude that the original lacked. The re-wording ABSOLUTELY works! It made me proud to be an American after the first time I heard it.

This EP is a limited edition of only 100 copies, but each copy is autographed by the band, along with information about the recording sessions of each song, with the CD itself packaged as a retro 45rpm single. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, I suggest you do so now, because you will not be disappointed.

The EP is only available from the Big Zee music online store - http://bigzeemusic.bigcartel.com/product/rarities-reacharounds

Visit the official Erotics website at: Http://www.eroticrocknroll.net