New Duncan Imperials
(Pravda)
If this really is the end of phase one, phase two's looking pretty good.
After eight years of silence, Chicago's most outrageous roots-rock jesters hit the ground not so much running as swaggering here with "High School Soul," an AC/DC-worthy riff-rock stomp with punchy horns, Stooges piano and a strong contender for the year's most raucous trash-rock solo. It's the songs with the silliest lyrics where they really hit their stride, though, especially "Land of the Elegant Bachelors," a tale of three kids lost at sea who wash up on an island run by swinging bachelors. "This cat in a cape holding a drink" emerges from the forest and escorts them to a bachelor pad where all who enter are "ridiculously free" and they never return. It could pass for an outtake from one of the Young Fresh Fellows first three albums if it weren't so rootsy.
Other highlights range from the raunchy blue-punk swagger of "It's Just A Sound," which boasts a primal wah-wah solo, to "I Love You Honey But I Hate Your Band," where they rock like the Kinks on trucker speed while weighing in one of life's great tragedies, falling for someone whose band is shit.
Standout Tracks: "Land of the Elegant Bachelors," "I Love You Honey But I Hate Your Band." A. WATT
