When it comes to garage rock and punk it's easy to say you've heard it all before. CRACKUPS makes mincemeat of such preconceptions because this an entirely new animal.
As loud as a power saw. As fast as a shark. As tight as a duck's arse. Check, check and check. It's the quality of the songs that makes all the difference: CRACKUPS' craftsmanship is undeniable with clever structures that mercilessly plunge every music fan into an orgy of riotous but superior garage punk.
'Greetings from Earth' is one of those records that kick you senseless at first listen, leaving you spent but satisfied. Every second on the album is extremely intense and essential. Eighteen minutes of pure world-class music which, in our humble opinion, stands comparison with such contemporary acts as The Chats or Viagra Boys but that also - and still in our humble opinion - ranks alongside old school heroes like Black Flag or Bad Brains. That's how good these guys are. And they throw in a pinch of Devo-esque equanimity for extra seasoning. When we - the record company - first heard the record we almost fainted from pure excitement.
In 2010 the young guns from The Crackups (in small letters and with a definite article at the time) made it to the finals of Humo's Rock Rally but their explosive debut 'Animals on Acid' didn't get the follow-up. The band members scattered to the four winds, joining the likes of Double Veterans, Priceduifkes, Warhola, Prince Beastly and Psycho 44, whereas frontman Thomas Valkiers established a reputation as a producer (Equal Idiots, Black Leather Jacket, Tin Fingers, High Hi).
Then last year CRACKUPS resurface out of the blue with the wrecking ball combo 'Wet Sheets' and 'Floor' (both feature on the album) in a brutal and striking comeback. Rock Herk, Sjock Festival and We Are Open (Trix) are just a few of the venues that were expertly razed to the ground without a second thought. At the moment a certain virus has temporarily halted the band's momentum but in the autumn it's open season again.