BANG TANGO – Psycho Cafe [Rock Candy Remastered & Reloaded] (2022)

Signed to MCA/Mechanic Records, BANG TANGO released their debut studio album ”Psycho Cafe” in 1989 to very positive, some might say ecstatic, reviews which hinted at greater things to come. Recorded in Texas and finished in L.A. the album was produced by fledgling producer Howard Benson.

The single ‘Someone Like You’ garnered solid radio and MTV support and positioned the band as ‘ones to watch’ for bigger and better things.
With a unique hard-edged sound, heavy on raw guitar playing and featuring immediately identifiable vocals from frontman Joe Leste, this five-piece band unleashed a number of super catchy, pocket rocket riffs that still sound vibrant and undated.
Even more with this just reissued Rock Candy Records CD of ”Psycho Cafe”, remastered for the first time obtaining a terrific, defined sound quality.

After playing the Californian club circuit where thay made a name by themselves with hot live shows, BANG TANGO were signed and recorded this killer LP “Psycho Cafe”, their official debut album.
Whenever a trend is hot, major labels will inevitably jump on the bandwagon and try to milk the trend for all it is worth. Hair Metal was no different; when hair bands and pop-metal were huge in the late ’80s, plenty of A&R folks at major labels signed as many Bon Jovi and Poison-like as they could get their hands on.
But not every hair band that signed by a big company in the late ’80s lacked integrity, and “Psycho Cafe” underscores the fact that Bang Tango made some of the more substantial and worthwhile contributions to L.A. glam metal during that era.

Bang Tango’s approach on this 1989 release is best described as a combination of Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses and Led Zeppelin mixed with heavy funky rhythms.
Alongside classic hard rock riffs and sleazy vocals, “Psycho Cafe” definitely incorporates funk — and infectious tracks like ‘Shotgun Man’ and ‘Attack of Life’ make it clear that Bang Tango was far from an exercise in style over substance.
For those who know their history, it really shouldn’t come as a big surprise that headbangers who were into Aerosmith and Guns N’ Roses were also into R&B; Steven Tyler and Joe Perry certainly never made a secret of their love of soul and funk, and James Brown’s “Mother Popcorn” was part of Aerosmith’s repertoire back when they were still playing small clubs in the early ’70s.

“Psycho Cafe” rocks hard, and the hair metal sound of the era is best represented in the album’s hit “Someone Like You”, a great catchy rocker listed on many magazines, websites, etc among the best song from the era.
Sure, the band sound on many songs like Guns N’ Roses, but as said, in fact the influence of both is Aerosmith. Just listen to ‘Breaking Up A Heart Of Stone’ or the acoustic ‘Just For You’ for the Guns similarity.

“Psycho Cafe” wasn’t the major hit LP it deserved to be, but even so, this excellent album demonstrates that not all bands that were part of L.A. glam metal in the late ’80s /early ’90s played party fluff.
This album never was remastered until now, and you can hear new layers of sound, a clearer rhythm section and sharper riffs.
HIGHLY Recommended (contributors get the album today)

01 – Attack Of Life
02 – Someone Just Like You
03 – Wrap My Wings
04 – Breaking Up A Heart Of Stone
05 – Shotgun Man
06 – Don’t Stop Now
07 – Love Injection
08 – Just For You
09 – Do What You’re Told
10 – Sweet Little Razor

Joe Lesté – lead vocals
Mark Knight – guitar
Kyle Stevens – guitar
Kyle Kyle – bass
Tigg Ketler – drums

turbo FLAC soon