I Know You Be Houserockin'
I Know You Be Houserockin' gathers much of the first two Gories albums. It offers an extensive introduction to a band needing remarkably little: two guitars, simple drums and voices making few efforts to sound tidy. The blues remains recognisable throughout, but the performances have punk's impatient aggression. The appeal comes from the musicians rather than additional layers.
Material from I Know You Fine, But How You Doin' has slightly more body and space. That does not make the songs friendly. Guitars echo, drums remain assertive, and Mick Collins and Dan Kroha sing with different kinds of roughness. Their combination gives the music more character than technical polish could have added here.
Early in the Morning and Six Cold Feet make the slower side work. The sound surrounding the instruments becomes part of the atmosphere, while the singing stays close to the blues. Nitroglycerine instead finds tension through greater urgency. The band can suggest very different forms of unrest with the same restricted means. Their simplicity allows those changes to remain clear.
The House Rockin' selections sound even barer and thinner. Boogie Chillun shows how few notes a convincing groove requires. Give Me Love offers a wilder eruption beside it. These songs need no thick production to gain force, although they require a willingness to accept their rough edges.
That is also the main barrier. Thin recording quality and occasionally unsteady playing can become tiring across this much material. The collection is most appealing if rhythm, voices and direct performances provide your enjoyment. Then its simplicity becomes an advantage. I Know You Be Houserockin' reveals how much personality a few chords can contain without making the band seem tidier than they sound.
