Treat Me Bad is a gloriously twisted blast of French Psychobilly from Washington Dead Cats, originally released in 2003 and packed with a psychotic mix of Rockabilly, Surf and Garage Punk. The band's distinctive sound goes beyond the usual Psychobilly formula, bringing horns into the equation and giving these songs an extra punch and swagger. It's a wild combination of trashy Garage attitude, rocking rhythm and Surf-inspired atmosphere, all delivered with plenty of personality.
The album gets straight to work with Crazy When I Hear That Beat, followed by the sinister Devil In High Heels, the wonderfully bizarre Mexican Wrestler and the darker Devil's Claws. Le Diable En Personne adds a suitably wicked French touch, while Juju and Do The Mambo bring more rhythmic variety. The Surf influence really comes to the fore with Waikiki Bay, Blue Surfin' Girl and the closing Aloha From Ligres Beach, making this a particularly colourful and unpredictable slice of Psychobilly rather than a straight-ahead Rockabilly revival record.
For anyone who likes their Psychobilly with Surf, Garage Punk, horns and a healthy dose of weirdness, Treat Me Bad is a cracking LP. Washington Dead Cats clearly aren't interested in keeping their influences in separate boxes, and that makes this an especially enjoyable choice for collectors who appreciate the more adventurous side of the European Psychobilly scene. A seriously lively piece of early-2000s Psychobilly vinyl with plenty of attitude and enough Surf flavour to keep things nicely off-kilter.
