Rock ‘em sock ‘em rock ‘n’ roll
Nearly a decade after their 2002 debut, this Buffalo-born quartet continues to combine the menace of metal, the feral energy of punk rock, the panache of surf guitar (courtesy, perhaps, of their relocation from Buffalo to San Diego several years ago), the non-stop drive of southern boogie and the rough-edges of the garage. Their music is fast and loud and tight, and though the rhythm guitars, pulsating bass and full-kit drumming will assault your body (thanks, in large part to Jim Diamond’s ferocious mix), it’s Wesley Doyle’s manic vocals that will pin your ears back. Joey Horgen’s dobro provides a momentary respite from the full sonic assault of “Dirty Sex,†but the intensity never really lets up. The band’s customary darkness is found in lyrics of childhood nightmares, evil shadows, fatal attractions, and not one, but two letters to deceased lovers. The album closes with a relatively sedate acoustic talking blues, with the godly mountain preacher “John Wayne Brown†winning his final battle. Fans of the Gun Club, Black Crowes and the two-man blues-axis surrounding the Black Keys will all find something here to enjoy. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com] 