CD Review: Indonesian Junk’s debut LP

Although Indonesian Junk is from Milwaukee, you’d swear they were from NYC based on their influences. For those too young to have experienced a night at CBGB in Manhattan, I imagine that an Indonesian Junk show is probably the next best thing.

Listen to their debut LP (also entitled Indonesian Junk) and you’ll hear elements of punk, glam, garage and heavy metal. “Shake It With You”, with its subversive overtones and sleaze-like vocals is entirely engaging. It may remind you of the vocals from Snakehip’s “Tennessee”, if you remember that classic track from way back in 2012. “Indonesia” is a stylistically ragged but appealing track that fans of The New York Dolls will really dig. In fact, more than any other band, these guys remind me of the Dolls. They’ve got a way to go before they’re in that league, but they have some of the same swagger.

You’ll hear New York’s other favorite sons, The Ramones, in “You Messed Me Up”, an up-tempo scorcher that will have you fist-pumping and otherwise bouncing off the walls.

Not all tracks measure up to the ones mentioned above, but all in all it’s a fine first effort. Indonesian Junk clearly has its moments and has me interested in whatever the band might do next.