Outrageous Cherry

Perhaps the most criminally underrated band from the current Detroit garage rawk explosion is Matthew Smith’s Outrageous Cherry. Smith and his revolving crew have been flying the flag of hooky, swirling modern day psychedelia for more than a decade, but have never received just desserts in North America despite being worshiped elsewhere. Last time we heard from the quartet was 2002’s The Book of Spectral Projections; perhaps their most "out there” release to date, sounding more like a updated take on Hawkwind's Space Ritual-era freak-outs than their previous releases. This time around, Smith and co. have gone for a more pop-oriented record, chock full of hooks and minimal Velvet Underground-type drumming that harkens back to the sound of their 1999 album Out There in the Dark, (although the instrumental track "The Orgone Vortex” is still a well-placed mindbender). In a perfect world, songs like "Young And Miserable” would be hit songs heard hourly on the radio and not so unjustly ignored. Nonetheless, the band remains Detroit’s best kept secret.