Mongols (the) – Sleepwalk
Primitive Records – PR-002 [1986]
Sleepwalk – Have Love Will Travel – Chicken Walk – Donne-moi Raison – Nautiloid Reef
The Mongols – sometimes written “Les Mongols” – (a slang term for someone mentally disturbed) were a Rock’n’Roll trio from Montreal, Quebec, the French-speaking part of Canada, formed by Kim Shadow (aka Raymond Simard) on vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Johnny Mopp (aka Jean Breton ) on bass guitar and Jack Lamarr (aka Marc Perron) on drums.
In 1986, the trio released this mini-LP composed of five tracks, one original tune, and four covers.
Sleepwalk, composed by the group, starts the sonic fight. The song, slow and menacing à la Primitive, sounds like a mix between the Cramps from the Psychedelic Jungle era and the heyday of the Gun Club. The rhythm is stripped down, almost tribal; the dissonant guitar, with bouts of fuzz, and Shadow’s plaintive and high-pitched voice make this track a mini-Garage Rock classic. The second song is an energetic version of Have Love Will Travel, with nothing to envy of the Sonics. Just enough time to flip the record over, and we are caught up in the primitive and raw rock of Chicken Walk. The Mongols keep the frenzy and deranged side of the original version and add a pinch of Country boogie to the best effect. The following track, Donne-moi Raison, a cover of the Lutins, a Canadian group from the 1960s, adds a good dose of psychedelia to their Rock Garage. The last chord resonates and leads us to the surf instrumental Nautiloid Reef, a 1965 track by the Nautiloids (reissued on a single by Norton Records). The Mongols version also appeared on the Boppin’ In Canada compilation.
The trio’s career came to an abrupt end when Kim Shadow passed away accidentally in 1987.
If you’re interested in Canadian Trash bands from the mid-1980s, we recommend the excellent Gruesomes, who released records on the same label.
Debbie & Jackie
