Stinky Toys ‎– Stinky Toys

Stinky Toys second LP was unknown to me for many years, although I have owned their first LP almost since it first was released.

This is not your average punk, and I doubt I would even call the music "punk" at all, except for maybe the sensibilities and the attitude. Elli Medeiros could not carry a tune in a five-gallon pail, but her voice does have a certain style that is suited to the odd musical stylings.

Guitarists Bruno Carone & Jacno hacked and hewed their way through odd stylings and almost backward phrasings, and for what they were "supposed" to be, they sure display a lot of talent. The song "Birthday Party" is somewhat reminiscent of 60's type stuff with even a touch of Jacques Brel thrown in. "Uruguayan Dream", with its mournful chorus, is, dare I say it, almost beautiful, very sad & dream-like, almost. As I mentioned, Elli's vocals aren't exactly top of the line but they do have a certain style that works well with the music.

I know the band was dismissed as nothing but a bunch of recycled Stones & NY Dolls rip-offs back in the day, and I read somewhere that Elli Medeiros was described as a "dime store Debbie Harry", but in going back to this LP over the weekend while taping some old stuff for a friend, I listened to this, and I listened to it again, and I heard it like I never listened to it before, and I marveled how GOOD it sounded after all this time. A sadly underrated band.