Avon Ladies – “Guns and Gold” – Katorga Works

A band with H-100’s members and Pigeon Religion members? Gold foil covers? Gun wielding Grateful Dead bears on the back cover? SOLD!
I remember buying this, listening to it a few times and thinking, “this is good, but man I wish it was better” and after a few years (and finding another copy for a buck a month ago) I kind of feel the same way. The songs on the first side are GREAT, but there is some definite riff salad going on a few times. “Hang Em High” is clearly the standout on this side, and I’m happy to say, the weird-factor doesn’t ever run thin on this record. It really is as out-there as it was supposed to be. The songs are kind of scattered and the Ginn-worshipping is pretty well isolated.
The second side of this 7” starts off with a very Pigeon-vibed song. It’s noisy and punk and much more cohesive of a track. There isn’t any uncomfortable stop-start-stop fastcore going on, which is an improvement over the first side. “Quality Programming” is a real stomper that could very well have been an Amphetamine Reptile single, but because of the sound on this record, ends up sounding much dirtier. The second song, “Power Failure” takes a step away from the AmRep and back into the H-100 realm. It’s a great song, and at parts even sounds like the almighty Double Negative.
This record is a solid piece of wax, and Adam should be proud to have put it out. I just wish this band would grace us with a real full length already!