Invisible Girl

iTunes Review

The duo King Khan & BBQ Show make a strange brew: first of all, Mark Sultan (guitar, vocals, drums and percussion) and King Khan (guitar, vocals) sound like four guys confused about what decade it is, and having a wicked fun time trying to sort it all out. Secondly, Khan is also known for his King Khan & The Shrines band, an outrageous, high-energy, garage-punk band clearly rooted in the ‘60s. The vintage-rock flavors of BBQ Show, however, run from the ‘50s right up to the late ‘70s and the roots of American punk rock. Tracks like “Third Ave” ooze mid-century, doo-wop charm, and “I’ll Be Loving You” conjures the soulful heartache of singers like Sam Cooke. “Lonely Boy” blends the ‘60s with a shot of Ramones-style simplicity, while “Crystal Ball” is torn between ‘50s poodle-skirt rock and ‘60s R&B-tinged garage pop. Tambourines rattle and tease while guitars scrape bottom on the excellent garage greaser “Truth or Dare,” and the doo-wop-meets-Screamin’ Jay Hawkins exercise in obscenity that is “Tastebuds” is not suitable for carpooling with your boss. That caveat aside, Khan & Co. are again having a hell of a party, and you’re invited.