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SUMMARY FLASHBACK started as a project to fill in the gaps in The End's recorded output. This means that it can be listened to as a companion CD to FINAL JUDGMENT; between the two CDs you'll hear large parts of The End's playlist. But FLASHBACK is also a viable album in its own right, containing a combination of original songs and interesting covers with a strong psychedelic influence that makes for good listening. Upon reuniting in 2001 after nearly two decades apart, The End didn't set out to record an album. They simply wanted to make professional-sounding recordings of three old songs whose original master tapes had disintegrated, leaving something of a quality "hole" in the FINAL JUDGMENT compilation CD. But after they started recording, the band got the idea to lay down a few more tracks - starting with a couple of not-previously-recorded old original songs, then some of their favorite cover songs, and finally some brand new original songs. Each new recording was more interesting than the one before. So before they knew it The End had a whole album, and a good one at that. Since their original impetus was to re-create the sounds of their past, The End only used vintage instruments during the recording of FLASHBACK. They eschewed electronic drums and modern keyboards in favor of authentic 60s and 70s instrumentation like a Fender Rhodes piano ("No Quarter"), Farfisa organ ("Light My Fire"), Les Paul guitar, and Slingerland drums. But the band did use digital recording technology, which gives FLASHBACK a very crisp, clear, and clean sound worthy of a CD. The new recordings of the old original songs on FLASHBACK are the best versions of these songs - better recordings than the vintage versions on FINAL JUDGMENT. Fans of The End from the eighties will really appreciate this studio recording of the party crowd favorite "Fred Flintztone Is On Dope." But the best part of the CD are the new original songs and five covers - fabulous material from the psychedelic era - which The End makes extremely interesting by adding creative touches to these otherwise familiar tunes. The End's rendition of "Somebody To Love" is particularly noteworthy - slowed down and highly emotive. When The End felt like they couldn't improve a cover song with innovative flourishes, they played it straight and gave it loving studio care. FLASHBACK gives us first-class versions of several rock classics, which almost overshadows The End's original material. One interesting aspect of FLASHBACK is that both of The End's guitar players appear on the CD, though not together. Dave Siebenheller still plays with a straight-ahead style that appeals to all, while Ben Pape brings stylistic variations that add depth and color. Middle age may have slowed down Ray Pettis' drumming and weakened F. Scott's voice a little, but make no mistake: The End can still rock, and FLASHBACK sounds great. If FLASHBACK has a flaw, it may be that it is somewhat disjointed. The re-recorded original pop songs from the eighties come across as slightly lame following the "heavy" psychedelic tracks. But that doesn't mean they're no good, just out of place. Think of it as having your iPod on random play, and just enjoy whatever comes next. It's all good. |
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SONGS Out Of All Control - FLASHBACK opens with a hard-rocking new original song that picks up where The End left off twenty years earlier. Wah-wah guitar and organ show the strong musical influence of The Doors, while in-your-face lyrics recap some of the band's most outrageous sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll experiences from the summer of 1981, climaxing when Ray smoked a bowl of spinach (to win a five dollar bet). The song rocks, and it's all true. Somebody To Love - Few bands would dare to re-work the Jefferson Airplane's biggest hit, but The End does - and does it brilliantly. In an out-of-character move, The End actually slows the song down and introduces stark loud-soft dynamic contrasts to produce an arrangement that brings out dramatic facets of the song that simply aren't present in the original Airplane recording. This interpretation is so creative that it's practically a new song - only the lyrics remain the same. Venus In Furs - Whoa! From the whip cracks that count us in to the final ponderous bass notes that take us out, this is one mysterious and ominous musical journey. The End makes Lou Reed's song about kinky S&M seem downright sinister. Eerie violin leads and a heavy bass line that isn't found in the original Velvet Underground recording combine to raise goosebumps, even as Ray's drums pick up the pace. "Venus In Furs" is a very cool song, and this is a very cool version of it. The Scorpion - The End conjures up something that comes right out of a sixties garage band's garage with this totally over-the-top musical vision of a bad acid trip. A relentless organ/guitar riff and frenetic drums support a demented lead vocal with ridiculous levels of reverb and hysterical female screaming (courtesy of Ben's wife). Lyrics tell the story of a deadly scorpion sting, except that it turns out that it's only a bad dream. Except that maybe it isn't a dream after all. Or is it? The End really captures the sound and soul of the psychedelic era with this track, although late-sixties underground radio never actually sounded this good. No Quarter - The End covers another outstanding song from the late psychedelic era without making any dramatic variations from the original version. This song has become a staple of the band's live shows of the new millenium, though in live settings they extend the instrumental break in the middle far longer. This is a good track. Spanish Jam - This short clavinet instrumental dates from The End's earliest days. Because it isn't dancible, it was one of their least played original songs (usually only heard when a guitar string was broken), but it's still a fine cut of music that sounds very much a traditional Spanish guitar piece. In this high-quality recording, Ray adds several percussion embellishments. Light My Fire - The Doors' biggest hit has also long been a signature cover song for The End. It isn't possible to improve on The Greatest Rock And Roll Song Of All Time, and The End doesn't try - they simply play it straight. This recording serves to demonstrate just how much The End sounds like The Doors, even though they speed up the tempo a bit. It's a good recording of a truly great song. Love Toy - Here's a new recording of an old original song that was always a fan favorite. Characterised by a pulsing, organ-driven beat and vivid lyrical imagery, the song has a bold, almost church-music flavor. This new recording more or less mirrors the 1981 version of the song but is less bombastic. It's also of much higher sound quality; you can hear the guitar part much more clearly. Businessman - Another new recording of a very popular The End song from 1981, the band's anti-establishment punk anthem. This recording is noticeably slower than the old version on BEGINNINGS, so it doesn't have the breathless fury and force of the original. It does have better sound quality. Fred Flintztone (Is On Dope) - Always a crowd favorite of The End's live act, this conventional-sounding blues number features absurd lyrics that will make any partier chuckle. B.B. King meets Cheech and Chong. It's a better song when played live at a bar than on CD, but longtime fans of The End will definitely want this recording in their permanent collection. I'd Rather Be With You Tonight - This saccharine-sweet pop song doesn't sound anything like psychedelic music and therefore seems a little out of place here. But if you get past that, you'll find that it is a very good song in its own way. This new recording sounds much better than the original 1981 version. Added bonuses: Dave juices up the guitar lead and the band extends the song's final climax with a few more bars. When The Levee Breaks - The final track on the CD is this cover of a less-known Led Zeppelin song. The End does a good job of re-creating the overall sound of the original, although the vocal part goes beyond the limits of Scott's singing range. It's a solid, if unspectacular, recording. |
Other The End CD reviews: Final Judgment | Flashback | Psychedelicious
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