This Is the Sonics

The Sonics actually sound like they're back. [May 2015, p.53]

A wonderfully anomalous effort. [Jun 2015, p.81]

This Is The Sonics emits the same primal heat that's inspired successive generations of garage-dwellers, from the Cramps through Mudhoney to The White Stripes. [May 2015, p.90]

They can still teach their garage offspring a thing or two.

This Is the Sonics is an outstanding return to duty for one of the great primal rock & roll bands of the '60s, and if they don't sound like kids, the flame that fueled their best discs is still burning bright, and they're louder, crazier, and wilder than most bands a third their age.

They're more punk at 70 than a truckload of Sex Pistols 45s, and still decimate every other band in your record collection.

A howling, blustery, white-knuckle ride that is nothing less than astounding. [No. 119, p.59]

R&B informed the Sonics’ unhinged passion from the get-go, and This Is the Sonics pays proper homage to the group’s roots.

The weakest tracks are the originals, if only because they don’t stand up to the band’s signature singles.

With all those components in place, the results could have been properly astonishing, instead of only admirable.

There are a couple of missteps, however, including the repetitive verse section of “Livin’ In Chaos”, which tires quite quickly. Then there’s “Save The Planet”, which features a refrain of, “We’ve got to save the planet! It’s the only one with beer!”, which is maybe a little too Dad-rock, or even Grandpa-rock, for its own good.... Still, This Is the Sonics is a fine and often fun record.