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Psycho-punk
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This review first appeared in the August 26, 1985 issue of The Daily Aztec.
A new style is emerging here in the mid-'80s from a fusion of the post-punk and the psychedelic rock of the late 1960s and early '70s. Among the bands creating this new blend is L.A.'s Electric Peace. On their second release, "Rest in Peace," the band combines the driving beat of punk with the surreal, dreamy effect of '60s psychedelia, ending up with a sound that is melodic, but restless rather than calming.
Two excellent originals and one memorable cover highlight this release. "Big Man" has a swinging rhythm, and vocalist B. Kild's strong voice rolls with the beat. The lyrics describe various part of the narrator's anatomy with graphic realism, but Kild makes it seem more humorous parody than bragging.
"Case of Dynamite" is the hardest, most punk song on the album, and also the most melodic.
The album ends strongly with a haunting version of "Tom Dooley" that is so original an arrangement it doesn't even sound like the old folk song until you're halfway through.