Album review: 'Every Freak for Himself' 25th Anniversary Reissue 

Koo Koo Boy

"Every Freak for Himself" 25th Anniversary Reissue

City of Quality Records

kookooboy.bandcamp.com

Koo Koo Boy was ahead of his time. The music was avant-garde, larger-than-life, rock 'n' roll calamity. And despite his self-deprecating humor and unique on-stage persona in tighty-whities, Koo Koo Boy was Rochester's best — if not its only truly new wave artist. There was plenty of garage rock and punk in the late-80's and early-90's, but not a lot of new wave. I know I'm gonna get a lot of flack for that statement, but in the words off Koo Koo himself: "I'm a monster, you're a monster, just let it go."

"Every Freak for Himself," remastered for a 25th anniversary reissue, is just that: a re-working of Koo Koo Boy's early-90's smash album — a cassette only release back then, I believe. The album itself was a re-tooling and capture of the Koo Koo Boy and his band's intense live show, where he would champion Debbie Harry's sexified swagger and John Waters' questionable taste, all wrapped up in a tres cool, girl group happening in underpants. His voice was wonderfully condescending and cool.

None of that has been lost here with "Every Freak for Himself" on vinyl for the first time. All of the hits are here, especially the crowd favorites "Pop Friends" and "Vampire Girls." It serves as a nice reminder for those who were there and the kids now that missed out. Sometimes it feels like I still am.