Wicked good early-80s Boston garage rock

In 1981, while many of us were still discovering the Nuggets compilation and Pebbles series, Jeff Conolly had already worked backwards and ingested garage rock’s roots. Breaking out of Boston’s rock scene with this debut four-song EP, Lyres had both the muscle and melodicism of ‘60s hitmakers like the Standells, Sonics, Chocolate Watchband and Boston’s Remains. As good as was the EP (and the concluding cover of the Hangmen’s “What a Girl Can’t Do” is really, really good), the 1983 follow-up single, “Help You Ann,” was even better. With an unforgettable guitar riff and a hypnotic lyric hook on the flip “I Really Want You Right Now,” this could easily have been a regional hit that broke through to the national charts, had it only been released in 1965.

Filling out this disc are seven tracks recorded in the summer of 1980, before the band laid down the EP. Included are early versions of all four EP tracks and the subsequent single “She Pays the Rent.” The band hadn’t fully locked into their garage groove yet, with the slower tempo and muddier production of “High on Yourself” sounding more like hard soul, and “Buried Alive” leaning more to punk at that point. The vocals have also yet to find the pocket, standing startlingly out front of “What a Girl Can’t Do.” Two lost titles include  “Ain’t Going Nowhere” and the rockabilly-styled “100 CC’s (Pure Thrust).” The demos, EP and post-EP single provide a good look at Lyres’ ramp-up to greatness (all that’s missing is the 1979 single single “How Do You Know?” b/w “Don’t Give It Up Now”). If you can’t find it for sale here, try direct from Ace of Hearts Records. [©2019 Hyperbolium

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