From the "Welcome to Delhi" photograph of the third world girl on the tape's cover to the folk-laden, bluesy originals on the spools of acetate, peking OPERA are truly authentic. This six-song gem is crammed full of talent.
The opening track, "Ruby," displays shades of early Led Zeppelin in lead vocalist/guitarist Schank's and his sibling guitar partner, Siege's expressive, searing throat duets. Schank prowls and growls on a more subdued level in the swaggering "Gospel" with no less an amazing effect.
Throughout the recording, these two, backed by bassist supreme, Chairman Mal and the band's no frills hero of percussion, Filly Joe Jack, simply shred on the rhythms. And don't let the strange stage names fool you. Songs like "Jesse," with its down home banjo intro and backwoods grind; the bump-and-groover, "Walkin' Tall"; the instantly memorable chorus of "Russian Roulette"; and "Killbilly" lend this band far more credibility than their names could ever displace.
Strangely, this tape is quite reserved compared to what I've seen the band accomplish live, especially when it comes to Chairman Mal's department. Master of four-, five- and six-string bass, Mal is about the best thumper of the fat strings since Stanley Jordan. But even without the stage show extras, peking OPERA have a freshness and a passion that'll kick your musical soul into overdrive. And if you haven't seen the band's spectacular live performance, this tape will make you want to.