Coming to critical prominence under that ever-so nebulous "Paisley Underground" banner in the early-to-mid 80s, Steve Wynn's DREAM SYNDICATE were quite possibly the most potent of all the post-punk LA crew,and that's quite something considering we're also talking about the likes of X,THE GUN CLUB and THE BLASTERS here.
Originally released via the Slash/Ruby imprint,THE DREAM SYNDICATE's debut album arrived under 12 months after the band's inception in late 1981and - even locking into its' overloaded grooves a good 20 (Jesus!) years on - it's plain to hear that a very special chemistry pervaded in their earliest line-up,also featuring specialist string-bender Karl Precoda,bassist Kendra Smith and drummer Dennis Duck.
With Rhino's usual attention to detail, their re-issue features songs from their very first rehearsal, plus the 4-track "Down There" EP, recorded with future Precoda replacement Paul Cutler at the controls. These initial recordings will dumbfound anyone new to the band, as they literally show just how instantly this unit clicked. Indeed,"Down There" was recorded a mere month after the group's first rehearsal and still crackles with primal power, even if the band's VELVET UNDERGROUND influence was still rather obviously displayed on their collective sleeve; lead track "Sure Thing" (written by Precoda) having more than a slight whiff of "VU & NICO" about it, even down to Wynn's Reed-like "Woohs".
Nine months pregnancy later, though, and there's no mistaking the full-on distinctive power of "The Days Of Wine And Roses". Recorded in four frantic,consecutive overnight studio sessions,the DREAM SYNDICATE'S debut still revels in its' raw-throated wildness and quest to nail as many gargantuan garage grooves as possible. It's only incredible to this writer that even this superlative re-issue hasn't finally set the critics slavering en masse.
That "garage" reference is no flippant one either, because the first thing that hits you about "The Days Of Wine And Roses" is the way it mainlines much of the energy of many of the best "Nuggets" era groups. To these ears, the likes of THE DEL-VETS spring to mind, or possibly THE CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND at their most strutting and cocksure. The more obvious one is THE ROLLING STONES at their amphetamined mid-60s best. Indeed the fabulous "Tell Me It's Over" is very much The Dream Syndicate's own "Last Time", with its' heavenly circular riff,that threatening chorus and the Precoda/Wynn interplay reminiscent of Richards and Jones at their best.
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Certainly,the Velvets-style reliance on repetition seeps through in places, with the album's twin riff juggernauts, the sensational (and very scary) abduction tale "Halloween" and the spine-tingling title track both have that hypnotic,pounding simplistic rhythm thang off to a tee, and Wynn and the remarkable Precoda can even outgun Reed and Morrison in the overload stakes. "When You Smile" actually went the whole hog and quoted from "Heroin" in its' first line, but Precoda's feedback fog clears to leave behind one of the most affecting songs here,well capable of throwing plenty of its' own shapes.
Actually, THE DREAM SYNDICATE were every bit as effective when slipping down a gear or two, as demonstrated by both "Until Lately" and "Too Little Too Late"; the former built around a creepy bassline and Wynn indulging in some spooky urban melodrama before the blaring harmonica and big sonic guns finally take over, whilst "Too Little.." features the only Kendra Smith vocal and is a beautiful, if slightly unsettling oasis of calm that somehow maintains its' dignity despite the surrounding maelstrom.
Sadly, this stood as Kendra's final bow, as she bowed out after a frought, lengthy US tour early in 1983. THE DREAM SYNDICATE continued on to make three more great LPs, including possibly their finest hour in "Medicine Show"(1984), with (briefly) a bigger budget from A&M behind them. Steve Wynn continues to write great songs to this day and whilst "The Days Of Wine And Roses" may have been only a launchpad for his writing talents, he still returns live to the songs from it to this day and is rightly proud of the album's all-round achievement. Can't argue with that: as an energised statement of intent from a young, hungry band going for the burn, there are few finer..
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