The Undertones – “Hypnotised” (1980)

June 20, 2011 at 1:40 am (Music, Reviews & Articles)

Taken from the October 1980 issue of Hit Parader, a review of The Undertones’ second and best album. Review written by James Spina…

Sometimes I really think there should be a law requiring bands to do at least one cover song per album. It always gives you such a good idea of where they are coming from and just how original their sound is. “Under the Boardwalk” does just that for The Undertones. This boardwalk is not that far down the beach in Rockaway just one blanket away from The Ramones. The Undertones are trulyEngland’s answer to The Ramones. They work at the same speed. Their songs have the same gobs of fun and one of them even looks a bit like Dee Dee. It seems like only last month I was reviewing “Jimmy Jimmy” from their first great album and already The Undertones are progressing beyond that with “My Perfect Cousin,” “More Songs About Chocolates and Girls,” “There Goes Norman” and just about every other song on this stupendous record. In the old days of WPIX (New York’s great departed radio station) this disc would have been receiving tons of airplay. These young lads (they still live at home with their parents) are almost a generation younger than The Clash but musically they are right up there and, in fact, share none of the jaded pretensions that sometimes slip into Clash sounds.

Besides, any record that sends me back to my old Drifters and Ben E. King albums deserves a good cheer.      

James Spina