Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - Dracula Boots

For any Eighties Matchbox super-fan looking for a lesson in the genesis of psycho-billy, this is a worthwhile stop-off. Asides from time served with little-known outfits like Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Kid Congo Powers was the six-string soul of horror-rock legends The Cramps, whom McKnight and his Brighton clan owe more than a few record sales to. Dracula Boots is a promising collection of songs. Although perhaps not as consistent as much of his Cramps work, there are certainly a few great numbers tucked away inside, such as the feisty Hitchhiking and the foreboding La Llarona (a track that also betrays the influence Congo's previous work had on Mike Patton). There are some smashing, unfussy guitar tones on display as well as a pleasing overall roominess to the sound - thanks to an on-stage recording via an old PA system. A quirky record best heard in leopard-print stockings and leather.