Dog Jaw Woman by The Guy Hamper Trio is amongst the latest worthwhile offerings from the indefatigable Damaged Goods Records of the United Kingdom. Featuring organist James Taylor as a returning guest, the trio’s deep ties to a particularly steadfast branch of the British R&R tradition are sturdy but not overemphasized, as the sounds tap into classic modes while avoiding the merely retro in a manner befitting said tradition (more on the specifics below). The 10-track set is out October 18 on vinyl and digital.
The Guy Hamper Trio consists of Julie Hamper on bass, Wolf Howard on drums, and Guy Hamper, aka Billy Childish, on guitar. The involvement of Childish might lead those who know him primarily through the copious combined output of Thee Headcoats and Thee Mighty Caesars (plus numerous other bands) to certain assumptions as to the sound that Dog Jaw Woman holds in store.
In short, the expectation would be raw and tough ’60s UK Beat Rock-Maximum R&B with nods to Link Wray and a ’77 punk edge. Doing it sans vocals, the Trio does lay down a punky Freakbeat-ish foundation, although distinct from the general Headcoats-Caesars thrust, and expands upon this curve with the contributions of Hammond organ ace James Taylor, formerly of ’80s outfit The Prisoners and the long-running James Taylor Quartet (where Wolf Howard was a contributor).
The first Guy Hamper Trio record, All the Poisons in the Mud (2022, Damaged Goods), was a mostly instrumental affair, the set offering one track with vocals by Childish. When he wasn’t singing, the band’s groove, raw but lithe, often suggested a bunch of mods turning their amps way up while under the influence of organ trio soul jazz and the brilliance of Booker T. Jones.
Other than a short spoken intro, follow-up Man in the Mouth of a Cave, Vol. 2 (2023, Hangman) maneuvered the trio fully into the instrumental zone. A few moments on the LP even steered Childish nearer to an organ driven proto hard rock sound than anyone could’ve reasonably predicted. On both records, cover tunes with organ stepping into the vocal role radiated a considerable discotheque feel, while other moments leaned into ’60s movie soundtrack-TV theme song ambiance with an appealing lack of cliché.
Adding saxophone (Anna Jordanous) and trumpet (Tom Morley), Dog Jaw Woman’s closing track “Instrument of Evil” boldly expands upon this soundtrack-theme approach, delivering a vibrant capper to a sharply delivered LP. Horns also feature in the opening title track, which offers more grand discotheque sweep. The Dostoyevsky-inspired “Incense Rising From a Censure” shifts in some post-Wray power moves, while “Beneath the Midnight Trees” hits like Booker T. & the M.G.’s with Jimmy Reed on their mind, while “Young and Able” leans a little more towards early Bill Doggett.
Between them, “The Baby Who Mutilated Everybody’s Heart” is a sweet little ’60s pop shaded instrumental nugget. “The First Creature is Jealousy” explores those movie-TV vibes with some grand grinding from Taylor, while “Sons of Karatakus” and “It Ain’t Mine” deepen the pre-Beatle R&R burn, the latter flush with tom drum groove and maraca shake that gets increasingly Diddley-esque as Taylor keeps working it out on the keys.
“The House of the Good Shepherd” just oozes an early ’60 AM radio feel with a bluesy tinge, and is a fine lead-in to the big final statement of “Instrument of Evil.” Dog Jaw Woman complicates any conclusions into the work of Billy Childish in the best way possible, as the entire band is cracking throughout.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
