LONG
HARD NIGHTS - The Deadbeats (Bootleg
Booze Records)
The hard rock revival that's still sweeping the minds of mid to large record
company A&R divisions continues to focus on the power riff, tatts and
smokes in the t-shirt sleeve, Ted-Nugent-Acca Dacca-
Rosie
Tatts aspect of '70s rock. That's all well and good (if done with the requisite
degree of irony), but there more to the world of long haired power rock than,
well, power rock and long hair. The Deadbeats have successfully seized on
another, more subtle, aspect of the '70s thing, namely, the cool, relaxed
slacker rock aesthetic.
The opening track ("State of Shock") – fueled by dominating
riff that's simultaneously laconic and engaging – would fit comfortably
onto Side 4 of Kiss' "Alive II" (the studio side of which, including
a cover of the Dave Clark 5's "Anyway You Want It", was recorded
without Ace 'cause The Spaceman was too tired and emotional to remember where
the band was supposed to be recording).
In fact, the whole album gave me the same appropriately reverential nostalgic
feeling that the quite amusing (if intentionally juvenile) Detroit Rock City
tribute to Kiss' 1970s popularity. There's plenty of chunky guitar (witness
the meat and three veg satisfaction of "Mr Brokenhearted"), the
riffs keep spinning out with the consistency of a Tim Rogers-Angust Young
factory line assembly. The vocals reminded me a lot of Steve Miller (that's
"Abbacadabra", not the guy from The Moodists) but unlike Steve Miller,
I never once felt compelled to throttle my stereo to stop the insipid noise.
"Putting Out My Fire" is a slower, but more concentrated, the riffs
more staccato and possibly a bit spicier, while "Dead Dog Serious"
is straight off a 1978 FM Top 40 list with a guitar feel that's similar to
Clapton at the crossroads between legendary white bluesman and cleaned up
movie soundtrack author. "Can't Get Up" is an oximoron if ever I've
heard one, 'cause if you can't get on your feet after this one, you must be
bolted to the floor.
The rest of the album just stays happily in the groove, a simple but structured
layering of the essential elements of honest rock'n'roll. The concluding (title)
track is a sleeper that evolves from a generic rock intro into a rousing call
to arms that The Casanovas would be proud to call its (their?) own.
This album is undeniably consistent and solid. While it doesn't take rock
to new heights, the plateau it reaches is rich in musical enjoyment. Why bother
searching for anything else when the grass straight in front of you is quite
green enough, thank you very much. -
Patrick Emery
