Indonesian Junk “Stars In The Night”

When we heard Indonesian Junks first album (see our review here)we just loved it. Part of its beauty was the band’s willingness to play good old, fun, sleazy rock and roll with a sense of dedication rather than irony. So, we were excited to see if they could keep it up on this new release.

The answer is a definite yes, as shown by opener “I Would Never Treat You Like This” a classic mix of glam and power pop. Along with songs like “I’ll Run Away” and “Tonight” it reminds us of some of the best glammy pop n roll bands from more recent times, such as The Star Spangles and The Role Models. You almost feel like taking a bath after hearing how the sleaze just drips off the vocals on the title track “Stars In The Night”.

So many bands (and indeed critics) underestimate how hard it is to deliver a good quality pop song. There’s a real talent in writing songs like “Why Did I Call You” and “Slow Down” which, on face value, are just fun time, throwaway trash. But, these are the songs which get you singing and dancing and actually enjoying life..not a feat to be underestimated.

Any band of this ilk will inevitably be seeking a reference to two of the godfathers of sleaze rock – The New York Dolls and Hanoi Rocks. So, not to disappoint, “Lorelei” and “Nosferatu” carry the same downtown sleaze and sense of danger that we associate with the Dolls. Whilst “Turn To Stone” contains the sleazy drawl of Hanoi and a more punk sound. That’s all before we get to the Johnny Thunders esque balladry of “On The Run”.

We were worried that Indonesian Junk might not be able to keep up the form of their previous album. The fact is they have surpassed it. Let’s face it, this album won’t feature in Rolling Stones (if it’s still going), The Times or even NME’s albums of the year. But for those of us that have a love of sleazy rock n roll; songs played with a sense of abandonment or just having a good time, this is an essential release.