Hunx & His Punx – Gay Singles (2009) [True Panther] // Grade: B+

For the past two years Seff of Gravy Train!!! has been slowly but steadily releasing a slew of 7-inches (and videos) under the Garage moniker of Hunx & His Punx. I’ve genuinely enjoyed every single one of these songs (and videos) and this compilation is not only a welcome addition for those in the know, but for those who haven’t yet been introduced to wonders of Hunx & His Punx.

Armed with a charming stage persona, a bratty voice and some of the most toe-tapping/sing-a-long inducing melodies, Gay Singles takes you through some songs of love, some break-up songs, some about Rock ‘n’ Roll and a whole bunch about stealing straight guys away from their girlfriends. The compilation is blissfully rich in rough and addictive 50′s/60′s rock & girl-group melodies, something that  shouldn’t come as a surprise when you learn that many of Hunx early singles benefited from having Nobunny as a co-writer… Something that surely rubbed off long after the two stopped writing together. Short and sweet, each song’s strength lies in the simplicity of execution paired with the sort of energy, heart and soul that a frontman, who above all else is a consummate entertainer (all of the time) can bring.

I was pleasantly surprised how cohesively and fluidly all of these singles played back-to-back-to-back. This truthfully could just as easily pass as an album and not a compilation, but either way it is one of best, satisfying and (most importantly) fun Rock ‘N’ Roll releases to come out this year.

- My Pal the Crook