The Night Marchers

From Drive Like Jehu to his current group, The Night Marchers, via Rocket From The Crypt and Hot Snakes John Reis aka Speedo has been involved in some of the most exciting rock ’n’ roll of the last fifteen to twenty years. Despite bubbling into the mainstream briefly during the 1990s when RFTC unexpectedly broke into the UK top 40 Reis should surely be considered an underground icon. Instead every new venture seems to be greeted with a nonchalant shrug and except for a hardcore of ardent fans. Like The Oblivions’ Greg Cartwright and maybe even Justin Broadrick, Reis will be probably be lauded in a further fifteen/twenty years by a new generations of music obsessives and hipsters. Rhino, Ace or some other reissue might even collect all their music together in all encompassing box sets, if such tangible things still even exist in what will probably be some perpetually warring post-apocalyptic society.

The Night Marchers is what happens when RFTC and Hot Snakes travel equidistant to in some San Diegan underground punk rock lair. Rock ‘n’ roll, post-punk, hardcore and rockabilly influences all come together with the charm and panache has become renowned for. Joining Reis are old comrades Gar Wood (guitar), Tommy Kitsos (bass) and Jason Kourkonis (drums). Incidentally the hard working Kourkonis must have been in more indie-rock bands than any other musician ever born to rock. The Night Marchers’ ‘See You In Magic’ album is a delightful little nugget. There are moments when the word “mature” could even be bandied about. Thankfully though it isn’t a deeply drippy introspective maturity that results in middling maudlin naval gazing, the use of string sections or duets with Norah Jones etc. Reis and cohorts still sound like overgrown teenagers refusing to let their youth and idealism die.

Alongside the belching barnstormers are moments of melancholy, filled with bittersweet melodies and surprising tenderness. On the delicious power-pop of ‘Jump In The Fire’ there is even what could be described as Byrdsian jangle. The chilly ‘And I Keep Holding On’ is filled with a restrained tension waiting to explode. The bad-ass rocker ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘In Dead Sleep’ bristle with nervous energy and a cock sure attitude. This is a record, like almost every other record Reis has been involved in, that deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. Whether they achieve the cult success of Drive Like Jehu, RFTC or Hot Snakes remains to be seen. What doesn’t and shouldn’t remain to be seen is whether The Night Marchers are as thrilling a live act. They probably are; in fact the band are coming over to the UK for live dates in June. Don’t miss out!