In the late '70s and early '80s, it wasn't uncommon to find bands that were enamored of '50s and early '60s . covered the 's and were well aware of the contributions of pioneers like , , and -- not to mention the girl groups, surf rockers and garage bands that emerged in the 1960s. Although wasn't formed until 1995, its work has recalled a time when bands showed their affection for early . Released in 1999, this self-titled debut album is full of influences -- the material is aggressive , but aggressive that owes a lot to . And that's ironic because the Generation X-ers who comprise are young enough to be ' grandchildren. No one can accuse this band of lacking a sense of humor; many of the lyrics are funny in an irreverent, twisted sort of way. One of the things that finds amusing is the supernatural; (which is about a frightening beast that's half man and half cat) give the impression that singer (who wrote most of the songs) has spent a lot of time watching campy 1950s horror movies. Meanwhile, has some fun with / themes on which uses a pedal steel guitar and almost sounds like a combination of 's first album falls short of remarkable, but the tunes are generally fun and catchy -- and 's irreverent sense of humor is a definite plus. ~ Alex Henderson