THE SHOWS
The Embrooks have travelled all the way from Folkestone for this one off gig and how glad I am that they've made this incredible effort. This is far more control about this aural experience but just as much invention. Mod and California beat pop blossoms into flower punk. Shimmering guitars, soaraway harmonies and ripples of percussion are blistered by unnerving lyrics and a grinding punk repetition. 5/8/98 Sessions, Middlesborough
The Embrooks then took to the stage and burst into a fantastic set. Formed around the essence of The Lyds, this 3-piece played some wicked garage freakbeat. Heavy gritty bass combined with a 'melodic' reverb guitar all kept nicely together with cool, solid beat! 15/11/97 Buzz With The Fuzz festival, Nottingham
The Embrooks play on Easter Monday. We knew it would be a good night, but tonight's gig is absolutely wild, a memorable opening night. All the old faces are there to make it a celebratory occasion, with loads of shouting, dancing down the front and cheering for Alex's solos. The Embrooks play a mixture of originals and 60s garage classics and conjure up the type of atmosphere that first greeted The Mystreated in Germany when they were themselves a more raw garage punk model. It's a good set, with soon to be familiar songs such as Love Is A Beautiful Thing, Separations, the outstanding Fight Fire and That's When Happiness Began. Lois kicks over her drumkit at the end of the closing Empty Heart and subsequently has to carry out some repairs as the crowd demand more...and more, in fact they could have played the whole set again and nobody would have complained. 13/4/98 Tower Bar, Bremen, Germany
The Embrooks, despite severe eye problems for Alex, their guitarist, struggled valiantly on to the Leeds gig. Yet again, they played a superb set. Mole's recherché gum chewing punctuated his belting voice with Alex on the right playing a sinewy guitar and Lois coming from behind with her strict and sinister drum sound. They kicked out belting versions of The Rolling Beats' Don't Ask Me Why and The Montanas' That's When Happiness Began, plus material from their new album, Separations. 19/9/98 Packhorse, Leeds
The Trypt Up clocked off and the next shift clocked in, the fantastic Embrooks. Lois and her boys gave us the business - as for The Trypt Up, the audience were standing on tables and watching from the staircase. I missed his actual entrance, but I returned to find a garage guest, the king of sing, the chief of beef, the newly hitched Mr. Paul Dickinson on stage with The Embrooks. His distinctive vocals growled up to the sunshine mods and dragged them down to his dungeon of darkness. The stage quaked, the amplification rumbled and shook. Lois took a rest and a new super group was formed with the addition of Graham from The Unchayned. We were all waiting for it. The Ayatollah of rock-and-roll-a looked at his comrades-in-mayhem and grinned. I might as well say it - all right, gentlemen, fast as you like! The Unhoundbrooks launched into an ultra loud, high speed rendition of High Heel Sneakers and as far as I know, they're still down there, looking at each other, wondering how to stop. 29/8/99, New Untouchables Mod Rally, Yelf's Cellar Bar, Isle Of Wight
The bands were awesome despite the rather not-in-touch with garage soundman. The best band of the weekend for me were the Embrooks. I danced like a mad fiend and kept thinking to myself how right on the money Mr. Mojo was about this fabulous group. I enjoyed talking to them all as well. Glynis Ward, 31/10/99, LVG
Was right up front for the Embrooks on Sun. nite, despite gettin' assaulted by small plastic spiders and silly string during their set. 100% great U.K. mod-freakbeat with a bitin' raw guitar tone, and X-cellent takes on Don't Ask Me Why and Say Those Magic Words. Buy their new records (LP and 45) - they won't disappoint. MopTop Mike, 31/10/99, LVG
The Embrooks - great mod/freakbeat. I really liked this band who I'd never heard before. They did a bunch of cool covers including an ace version of Say Those Magic Words and threw out lots of little Halloween goodies between songs. Lee Sound Views, 31/10/99, Las Vegas Grind, Gold Coast Hotel, Las Vegas, USA
One of my fave discoveries of the show was the Embrooks. I am a big fan of Mod, and these guys were unbelievable. I picked up their record, and it sounds good, but a little too reverby. Craig Bolton, LVG
SUNDAY NIGHT: By this time, I think all of us here were pretty well far gone in drunkspace, but it was still a fun night. Overall, I thought it was the weakest night of the Grind, although The Embrooks were great and easily the best band that night. They rocked w/mod-garage excellence. Nice guys, too. Dennis Campa, LVG
Was awfully pleased to get the chance to catch the Embrooks in LA last night, after Grind scuttlebutt made it clear that missing their early slot was the biggest flub of the weekend. Lois, Mole and Alex are astonishingly good - you'd never know they were a commuting band that only can practise once a week. They're striving to achieve a sound that few bands would ever dare to attempt, a richly layered feedback-enhanced pure '67 mod explosion, and they pull it off wonderfully. Lois' drumming especially blew me away. Aime and I were yelling "She's the female Keith Moon!" and then were startled to meet the rather retiring and ladylike 5'1" individual who had somehow been channelling that mad energy. Catch these kids if you can. Kim Cooper, 4/11/99, Spaceland, LA, USA
LVG comes to SF: THE EMBROOKS: OMIGAWD!!!! This band completely blew me away! I thought they were absolutely incredible. One of the best bands I have seen in a long time, if not years. I was amazed at the tightness of their playing, their energy and their songs. The Embrooks are an excellent example of how well a three piece band can create such a full sound. They definitely played way too short a set for me. Although, the Embrooks were my faves of the night, The Neatbeats came in a close second, and they were the only band that played an encore. Miss Tee, 5/11/99, Cocodrie Club, San Francisco, USA
Dashed over to The Beat Kitchen (earlier than I needed to, it turned out) and caught the current kings of British Freakbeat, The Embrooks. In contrast to the sophistication of The Delgados, The Embrooks are inspired retro rock - if you are a pop fan who'd like to plunge into something more in the garage rock vein, their Our New Day disc is a great place to start. They perfectly capture the essence of Brit rock circa 1966-67 - The Who, Creation and Yardbirds are clearly (and admittedly) big influences, but there's some Move and Hollies thrown in too. Incredible musicianship, from Alessandro's Jeff Beck inspired guitar effects, Mole's Entwistle worthy bass playing (particularly impressive with his stubby fingers) and the spectacular bashing of Lois Tozer on the drums. Her clever fills, the way she rides the cymbals during guitar solos, filling that extra bit of sonic space, and the powerful way she brings a song home - just awesome. (And she has a tip for all you aspiring musicians: try to avoid wearing polyester mod gear on stage, it feels like it's melting under the lights). In the past, a couple Auditeers have raved about The Kaisers - The Embrooks are at that level, if not even better. (Note: Dionysus has just re-released The Embrooks debut, Separations - much more muddy and garagey - stick with Our New Day if you want pure pop pleasure). Mike Bennett, Chicago, 11/11/00