The Spunks

The hot-rod rock 'n' roll stalwarts at Gearhead Records have been indulging in two habits of late: snatching up Japanese bands (Gitogito Hustler, Electric Eel Shock) and laying down big air mattresses for aging stuntmen who may be taking their last leap (Wildhearts, Lords of Altamont). With the Brooklyn-based Spunks, the label overdoses on both. With their Gearhead debut -- a two-song seven-inch -- this trio of transplanted Japanese bad-asses add another level of nasty spazz to the ever-growing Jap punk-rock reputation. In that fine tradition, The Spunks race through skronky punk blasts with roughly three chords at their disposal, and the "production" leaves in all the extraneous bleed. Basically, if you're familiar with Jet Boys/Teengenerate/Guitar Wolf, you'll have a pretty good idea of where this furiously frazzled band is coming from. But even punk diehards may be surprised to learn that this relatively unknown combo has been going at it for nearly nine years and dropped three CDs. Something is amiss here, then, since the new seven-inch is as crazy-fun as anything Gearhead has released in a spell, yet there's no word of the label signing The Spunks proper for a full CD. So maybe this is a last leap for The Spunks, too. If so, here's hoping they stay on the ledge screaming for a while.