The Sensational Second Cousins – Earthquake! LP / The Heck
Henri Sulmann—aka Soulmann—has quite a history playing in 1960s-style garage bands from Klazienaveen and the surrounding area, such as The Miracle Men and De Keefmen. When the latter disbanded, he was able to devote more attention to The Sensational Second Cousins, the band he runs with his second cousin Jerk Heijnen.
They play garage rockabilly capable of injecting a powerful musical jolt into any festival or barn party—as evidenced by their exciting debut album, *Earthquake!*. The band’s instrumentation is just as stripped-down as its lineup: a homemade drum kit from which Heijnen extracts frenetic rhythms, and the gritty twang of Soulmann’s guitar, paired with vocals that occasionally border on the manic. The Sensational Second Cousins draw inspiration from legendary names like Hank Williams, Bo Diddley, and Hasil Adkins.
The result is fourteen fiery rock 'n' roll tracks, all sharing a wonderfully boundless energy. And, at just the right moments, a saxophone makes an appearance, too. It is clear that The Sensational Second Cousins have no interest in overcomplicating things; they simply want to have a blast making music. Naturally, the lyrics—with the exception of the hilarious "Doin' Time," which is about murdering your boss—often revolve around girls. Not that the duo is just messing around on Earthquake!; they certainly know how to write excellent songs.
Prime examples include the spooky "Tough Lover," the groovy "You Said Goodbye," and the equally hilarious "Oeh, Ie, Ah, Oeh." With his impassioned vocals—and occasional screaming—Soulmann injects the lyrics with a compelling sense of momentum, at times even giving them a narrative quality. A job well done. The songs on *Earthquake!* ...are crying out to be played live. The result? A steaming rock 'n' roll party. Go see and hear it for yourself!
Label: Independent Future Recordings
Country: Netherlands
Media Condition: Mint (M)
Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)