Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 11/13/2002
American listeners tend to remember
Shocking Blue as the one-hit wonder behind the chart-topper
"Venus," a melting pot of
rock rhythms,
country guitar licks, organ riffs, and
Mariska Veres' heavily accented vocals. Sounding something like a cross between
"96 Tears" and
"Sugar, Sugar," "Venus" was not entirely representative of the group's first album,
At Home. Like their fellow countrymen
Golden Earring,
Shocking Blue purveyed a mild strain of
psychedelic rock, but leaned more toward
country and
folk music than
bubblegum. Guitarist and principal songwriter
Robby Van Leeuwen was already preoccupied with
Americana at this early stage, from
"Harley Davidson" and
"California Here I Come" to a surprising rendition of the
folk song
"Boll Weevil" that sets the traditional lyrics to music reminiscent of
the Easybeats'
"Good Times." (The group's
country music fixation would manifest itself more overtly on later albums).
Van Leeuwen's sitar is pictured on the album cover and dominates the instrumental
"Acka Raga," but, thankfully, is not overused.
"Mighty Joe" and
"Never Marry a Railroad Man" were minor U.S. chart hits that few people remember, but
"Love Buzz" gained a measure of fame decades later when
Nirvana covered it.
Veres has great presence -- like a gypsy incarnation of
Grace Slick -- but
Van Leeuwen's English-language lyrics can be awkward at times. On
"Venus," all the components clicked perfectly into place, but there is much more to
Shocking Blue than their biggest hit.
~Greg Adams, All Music Guide
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