Garage rock from the East Side

It may be true that the Premiers recorded this live, but in the studio, rather than at the Fullerton club originally claimed to be the venue. The crowd sounds may well have been dubbed in afterward, but they still create the atmosphere of a loose, enthusiastic club gig. The album’s title track (originally waxed by Don & Dewey as ‘50s R&B) was included on Lenny Kaye’s seminal Nuggets, and the rest of the tracks follow in the same vein, with unison vocals from guitarists John Perez and George Delgato, and female fans shrieking and singing along. The rave-ups feel like a Saturday night in East L.A., and the ballads, including covers of the Moonglows’ “We Go Together,” Johnnie and Joe’s “Over the Mountain, Across the Sea,” and Johnny Ace’s “Anymore” provide slow dances to hold your partner tight. Notable East Side producer, musician and songwriter Max Uballez is represented by the originals “Annie Oakley” and “Feel Like Dancing” (the latter of which mentions his classic “Slauson Shuffle”). The Premiers weren’t accomplished musicians, but that’s part of their charm; they played with the foot-stomping verve that kept the party going. The two- or three-track stereo sounds like an early Beatles record, with vocals on one side, instruments on the other, and crowd chatter on both. Switch your set to mono and have yourself a dance party! [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]