First Impressions: “Teenage Kicks” by Lone Justice

If it seems that, of late, I’ve been referencing Maria McKee’s old band a little more than usual, there’s a reason:  “Teenage Kicks,” a single released on May 28. Although “new,” it’s actually an old recording from what appears to be the second iteration of the group, aka the lineup that recorded their classic debut. The band behind the always mercurial McKee, who sang and played guitar, included Marvin Etzioni on bass, Ryan Hedgecock on guitar and Don Heffington on drums.

“Teenage Kicks” is a compelling rendition of the Undertones song that made the UK’s Top 40 in late 1978. (It was written by the band’s guitarist, John O’Neill; other members included Feargal Sharkey, who would later top the UK charts with his recording of the McKee-penned “A Good Heart.”) The song emphasizes the punk half of Lone Justice’s cowpunk sound; it’s two-and-a-half minutes of frenzied fun that, I think, only the young can get away with, though all ages can and will enjoy.

The b-side is a live version of the George Jones-Roger Miller country stomp “Nothing Can Stop My Loving You”; a studio version from December 1983 surfaced on the 2014 compilation This Is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes, 1983. It’s a rambunctious delight.

The single can be purchased on vinyl via Bandcamp; it’s apparently a teaser for a forthcoming new/old album, Viva Lone Justice. Where and when the a-side was recorded, who knows? The b-side, on the other hand, supposedly hails from a sold-out show in 1983 at the Palace, a Los Angeles club, and features Jo-El Sonnier on accordion. I’d like to know the logistic specifics of both, especially the date they were recorded, but scant information is provided. Hopefully the album’s liner notes fill in all the blanks.

[Update 10/25/24: My questions have mostly been answered; see my review of Viva Lone Justice here.]