The Smugglers - Selling The Sizzle!

Say it with us, cyber-rockers! "Don't Sell The Steak - Sell The Sizzle!!!" Yessir, that's the Smugglers motto of performance, whether it be on the stage or in the studio, you better count on the three "E's" of rock'n'roll from the Schmugs: ELECTRICITY, ENERGY and EXCITEMENT!!! Selling The Sizzle sizzles on all 15 tracks including the `hit' video song "Especially You", the cops'n'robbers blast of "To Serve, Protect And Entertain" and the radio stomper "The Dedication." Top it with the thick and oozing charm of the best-dressed band to ever grace a stage in rubber boots and it's a hell of a party album!

Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle,’ has always been the performance motto of the Smugglers, Vancouver’s #1 purveyors of hot’n'juicy rock’n'roll action. Their blend of ’60s, ’70s, and ’90s chipper punk r’n'r reaches the boiling point as all 15 songs bounce, roll, plunder and shake to a vigorous beat sure to stupe and stun you.

The Smugglers formed at Hillside Secondary School in West Vancouver, BC, Canada. Heavily under the influence of Black Label beer, hashish, and the raw rock’n’roll sounds of the Sonics, the Cramps and the Stones, the five sixteen year olds were dubbed “The Smugglers” by their high school buddy Nardwuar The Human Serviette.

From their ugly beginnings in church basements, malls and warehouses opening for heroes like the Gruesomes and NoMeansNo, the band slowly grew up to weld their influences of great punk and rock’n’roll into a wildly energetic show all their own. The Smugglers took their sweat, suits and boots on the road and, a dozen-plus years later and still in their late-twenties, continue to tour to every pocket of North America, as well as sojourns into the uncharted wilds of Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

First listen: Generic, somewhat boring pop-punk that all the little kiddies will go crazy for on the account that they’re on Lookout Records. One would think that a ten plus year career of a band could either improve them musically or are too stubborn to realize that their hey day was a long time ago. Second listen: Man, if this isn’t the perfect party record for any occasion — birthday, social get together, Hanukkah, whatever — then put Dick Clark back in his cryogenics chamber and cancel New Year’s cause this rocks. The Smugglers know how to have a good time in that classic oldies, “doo-whoop, ” pop-punk influence without the squeeky clean image. It’s almost as if they could have been the perfect house band for “Arnolds” while showing The Fonze a thing or two. And a note to all the vegans in the house: the grease soaked hambergers wont slide off of the cover, remember it’s only harmless artwork. [AMG]

Trust me dudes…buy it!

Canada has produced some of the best music ever, including that of Maow, cub, D.O.A., the Hanson Bros., I could go on. But none, none of this musical Giants rock the stage like The Smugglers, this album is crammed full of rockin' hits, Pick em up truck will make you laugh, but more importantly, it will make you think. Especially You should go down as every man's rock anthem, and the remake of Decication will make you want to listen to it while watching "Up The Creek" All in All, this album kicks ass! [Amazon user review]