Light in the Attic gives the reissue treatment to these legendary garage/psych/punk purveyors. Formed by five American GIs stationed in Germany, the band's iconic LP, Black Monk Time, is fiercely abrasive and menacing, with almost tribal melodies, strangled vocals, and warbling organs that mesh with bursts of dissonant feedback. Ludicrously ahead of its time, and still just as badass, this is ingeniously gritty rock and roll. Also available: The Early Years, 1964-1965.

In all my years of working on the floor at Other Music, I've probably heard Black Monk Time spun on the shop's stereo more than any other record. I've also read dozens of essays on the Monks and their biography, as well as listening to many customers asserting that they were the "first punk band," the "first post-punk band," "Dadaist bubblegum pop," "modal jazz, not rock-n-roll," and "better than the Velvet Underground, Beatles, Stones and God." With only a quick a Google search you can find numerous accounts documenting the amazing story of this group, but here's a quick summary: In 1964, five American GIs stationed in Germany formed a beat band. After their stint in the military ended, they stayed in that country, donned monastic threads and haircuts, and released one sexy, distortion-drenched cave-stomp of a record that predated the reductionist, amphetamine-fueled Raw Power, Kick Out the Jams and WhiteLight/White Heat by a good three-or-so years. But garnering only a small bit of fame in Germany and with nary a US release or contract in sight, they broke up two-and-a-half years later.

The remarkable thing about Black Monk Time is, well...everything! The Monks delivered a primitive one-two percussive stomp, accented by fuzzed-out basslines that were most of their songs' only melodies. The lead guitar was there only to deliver heavily distorted shreds of noise while two rhythm guitars -- one actually supplied by an over-amplified banjo -- and ghostly organ passages pushed these tunes forward like a freight train. And then there are the vocals! Singer/guitarist Gary Burger yelps and squeals about "hating you with a passion," "Pussy Galore comin' down" and Viet Cong killings, all with a crazy intensity not typical of the era. But this ain't heavy...this is good time, high five-ing rock-n-roll of the highest order. For the past 44 years, Black Monk Time has only gained more and more acclaim and continues to subversively influence modern music. Even after all these years of hearing these tunes blaring from the shop stereo, it's still an astounding listen.

Also available, The Early Years, a collection of Monks demos -- a great document of the musical evolution of one of rock-n-roll's most important bands.

-Duane Harriott (February 13, 2009)