D.T. Martyrs
Narcotics in the Carport
(Jeterboy Records & Tapes)
To avoid confusion, you should now that the delirium tremens ceased at some point and the D.T. Martyrs simply became the Martyrs. And while the shortening of the name was the band's call, forgive me if I wantonly switch back and forth between the two monikers. Not that it matters much because Mr. Ian "Rusty" Hammond was always the one true martyr.
Originally released in 1985 on Joe "Jeterboy" Harris' label, Narcotics in the Carport was the logical transition for Hammond's music during the era of New Wave domination in South Florida. These are pure rockers marked by a bunch of punks and country-fried rollers who came through the Martyrs' ever-revolving door. Yet in the end, the result is pretty good.
This twelve track effort opens with a guitar-driven cover of The Band's "The Shape I'm In." (It's a song that would be hard to describe nowadays as being a purely Florida rocker. But you must first understand that Florida is a Southern state. And that while the immigration flux of the last thirty years has done a lot to change that perception, it wasn't always reggeaton and merengue down here.)
This is followed by the uptempo of "Talk Trash" and the darker "Scene of the Crime." The middle of the album is full of fringe behaviors -- "Born to Drink," "Live to Drive," the title track, "Odds N Ends," and the great "Search My Car," which may or may not be an Eat song.
The album closes out with more country-twinged rock 'n' roll that's mid-tempo enough to get you bopping and bluesy enough to get you thinking. I certainly fall into a nostalgic mood after a couple of listens. And finally the D.T. Martyrs' close it up with a cover of the Beatles' "Come Together," which is kind of tongue-in-cheek. Well, I find it funny.
On this recording, the Martyrs were Ian "Rusty" Hammond on guitar and vocals, Tony Blazemore on drums, Al Harmon on guitars and vocals, and Michael O'Brien on bass and vocals. It was recorded in February of 1985 at T.A.M. Studios with additional work at L7 Studios. It was engineered by Harmon and Bob Wlos and had the numeration of Jeterboy 004.
I'd also like to thank my buddy Jeff Schwier for getting me a copy of this album and interested parties can download it from one of South Florida's most astute archivers, Lou Ming.
Get it and listen to it. With or without the bittersweet jitters of alcohol withdrawal.
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