Stream: The Sonics, ‘Bad Betty’

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TheSonics2015-MerriLSutton

File under: Showing the Kids How It’s Done. Garage-rock legends the Sonics — whose mid-1960s albums of dark, thunderous music presaged punk rock, metal and grunge and ran counter to the British Invasion bands of the time — are celebrating their 50th anniversary in March by releasing a new album. It’s titled “This Is the Sonics” (due March 31 from Revox Records, based in their hometown of Tacoma, Wash.) and was recorded in mono with Detroit producer Jim Diamond (the White Stripes, the Dirtbombs, Electric Six, the Pack A.D. and others). No surprise, then, that the single “Bad Betty” sounds as if it slipped into 2015 through a portal to the past. The band’s new lineup features originals Jerry Roslie, Larry Parypa and Rob Lind, joined by Dusty Watson (Dick Dale, Agent Orange) and Freddie Dennis (the Kingsmen); a different version of “Bad Betty” appeared on a Record Store Day split 7-inch with Mudhoney last year. Revivalists, genuflect.

||| Stream: “Bad Betty”

||| Live: The Sonics play the Regent Theatre on May 9.