Search - Various Artists :: Scream Loud the Fenton Story

Great compilation of mid-Michigan 60s garage rock

Austin Blair | Okemos, Michigan | 03/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the mid to late 1960s, the Sparta, Michigan-based Fenton Record Company recorded dozens of mid-Michigan garage bands. These groups, primarily from the Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon areas, never made it big on a national or even regional level (but were reasonably well-known in their own communities and in mid-Michigan). For the most part, the bands were comprised of kids still in their teens, playing gigs at sock hops and/or frat parties. They stayed together long enough to record a few singles before college, jobs, or in some cases--Vietnam, broke them apart. The music on these two discs is surprisingly good. Even the stuff that isn't that great is still fun to listen to based on the sheer enthusiasm and naivete of the performances. Some of these tunes, however, are really first-rate. A few of the highlights are the Beaux Jens' haunting and slightly unhinged "She Was Mine," the sunny pop of the Sheffields' "Nothing I Can Do," and the Plagues' Beatles/Kinks/Byrds hybrids on the tunes "Why Can't You Be True," "I've Been Through It Before," and "(Clouds Send Down) Tears From My Eyes." This two-disc set also comes with a lovingly compiled booklet with a brief history of Fenton Records, band bios, vintage photos, and other memorabilia. Highly recommended for anyone interested in sixties garage rock or music from the Great Lakes state."

Fab Music!

Peter D. Page | Wickenburg, AZ USA | 08/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a great collection of old 60's early psychedelic rock music, aka 'garage music'. I don't like the 'garage' term as it is demeaning and this music is fabulous! These are real artists, young people from the 1960's performing mostly their own stuff. It's fresh, new and exciting to listen to as I'm sure it was in the mid-60's. If you loved the Nuggets collection, the Pebbles collection, fuzz guitar, Hammond organ, back-beat, and perfect chord progressions, you will flip over this collection. Buy it now."