The (Dutch) Outsiders are one of my all-time favorite groups. Their unique blend of garage, beat, r&b, and folk rock stands out among the best of the era, and their string of singles from late 1965 through 1968 are hard to beat, especially considering their location.
I recently found a bootleg reissue copy of this EP which combines their first two 45's originally released in October 1965 and February 1966, respectively. All four cuts are classics and each evokes a distinct mood or feeling. Wally Tax's songwriting was simple and often redundant, but in most cases he manages to turn everyday girl trouble into vivid realness that, combined with Ronnie Splinter's guitar work, is unmistakeable.
It's a tough choice, but 'Sun's Going Down' is my pick from this set. It's one that has stuck with me since I first heard it. Some listeners comment on the slightly out of tune guitar, and I suppose that's in part what makes the opening four note riff so great. The gritty guitar work is accompanied by a wandering bass line, and tender, heartfelt lyrics which Wally Tax claimed to have wrote when he was 14. That comes as no surprise to me, the man was brilliant.
