Oblivians “Popular Favorites” 1996. Crypt Records. Super-scuzzy lo-fi punk blues, an album one reviewer called “”supremely filthy…it makes Jon Spencer sound like Pat Boone” (LOL – Oblivians first show was opening for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in the 90’s). Tonight we’re heading to Cactus Club here in Milwaukee to see Oblivians’ Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber perform with one of their other groups, The Compulsive Gamblers. They will be joined by a couple of members of Reigning Sound: Alex Greene and Graham Winchester. I think it’s going to be nuts since none of these bands have really been active for around 20-30 years (well, Oblivians has been, on again/off again and they released Desperation in 2013 and Reigning Sound played some shows here and there). “They have reactivated the band [The Compulsive Gamblers] for this run of Midwest shows with the end goal of performing in Detroit August 28th to Celebrate the life of Rachel Nagy, the former lead singer of The Detroit Cobras who passed away in January.” (from the Cactus Club event summary).

Popular Favorites is Oblivians’ second album and it’s raw, noisy, bluesy and amazing. My top tracks are the ass-shaking “Trouble,” creepy-sexy “The Leather,” “Strong Come On,” a track that puts the punky-poppy 50’/60’s Ramones sound through a wood shredder, the Cramps-esque “Drill” and the frantically freaked-out “Emergency.”