Search - The Last :: Awakening

Catchy, Raw, Beatles-Influenced Garage-Pop

Eric R. Last | San Bruno, CA United States | 11/01/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Awakening" is the 4th album by L.A. power-popsters The Last. Like all The Last's albums, it's chock full of catchy melodies, hooks, harmonies, economical guitar leads, and the fine songs of Joe Nolte. The Last were part of the same scene in L.A. that also produced the Plimsouls, the Knack, the Beat, the Pop, etc. The Last's music tends to be more unpolished than most of these other bands. They truly sound like they belong in a garage. I think the closest comparison I could make is with the Flamin' Groovies, another great band with a similar bent. My first exposure to them was in the early 80's when I picked up a copy of their 1980 debut album, "L.A. Explosion", in a used record store, for no other reason than their name. You see, my last name is "Last", so I was intrigued by this band with my name. I took it home and was delighted to discover that I had accidentally stumbled onto a wonderfully Beatlesque gem. "L.A. Explosion" remains my favorite Last album, but I enjoy them all. Following the debut, they put out the "Fade To Black" E.P., then the French-only release "Painting Smiles Upon A Dead Man" in 1984. Then they broke up. In 1988 they reformed (minus one of the original 3 Nolte brothers, David, but with Joe and Mike Nolte remaining as the core of the band) and released "Confession", the first of 3 albums on the SST label. "Awakening" followed in 1989, and finally, "Gin & Innuendoes" appeared in 1996 to close out the Last story (to date). "Awakening" is highlighted by five particularly strong pop gems: "No Love", "Assembly Line", "You", "Garden Grows", and "Dreaming". As an added bonus, they close the album with two fine covers, "She Loves You" and "Baby It's You". I guess they didn't think the heavy Beatles influence was obvious enough. Although The Last are among the most obscure bands of the L.A. power pop scene, they certainly are one of the best."