Trim, 9th Ward High Roller confirmed once and for all that
Surgery was a lot different from the noisy punk rockers prevalent on Amphetamine Reptile. With their bad-boy swagger,
Surgery is really an early-'70s blues-rock band stuck out of their time, far more sleazy (à la
the Rolling Stones and
New York Dolls) than scuzzy (as all other Amphetamine Reptile artists, who seem more rooted in
Richard Hell and
Sonic Youth). "Maldia" and "A.K" are thundering blooze rockers that wouldn't sound out of place on an early
ZZ Top album, and with their lyrics about girls gone bad and drug deals gone sour, a listener would be forgiven for thinking they were written during the Nixon administration. Sean McDonald's voice is the key weapon here, a raspy, gritty instrument devoid of any punk affectations. Coupled with the skillful guitar of
John Leamy, it gives the EP a feel unlike any other Amphetamine Reptile release.
Trim, 9th Ward High Roller is an interesting standout in the Amphetamine Reptile catalog. ~ Victor W. Valdivia