Review: THe BAcksliders - You're Welcome

Label: self-released

Released: June 3, 2008

When most people think of the Bangles, they think of "Walk Like an Egyptian" or "If She Knew What She Wants," but before they caved into commercialism, they were an edgy band making garage rock with a great 60s girl group flair. THe BAcksliders aren't playing an entirely different game from the pre-Different Light Bangles. They lean a little more toward garage and away from pop and they add a hint of country twang that gives the tunes a distinctive flavor, but by and large they're doing a lot of the same things. Let's just hope THe BAcksliders don't get wooed away to play Liam Sternberg and Jules Shear songs.

There is little doubt that You're Welcome is a rocker, distilled into its purest form. It doesn't get bogged down in guitar solos or vocal gymnastics. Driven by Taylor Young's poor man's Keith Moon and Nolan Theis' catchy bass lines, the songs drive home with almost Who-like energy. Chris Bonner fattens up the sound with his fuzzy jangle and Kim Pendleton's gritty, vaguely country voice is the music's heart.

For the most part THe BAcksliders split the difference between pop pleasure and raw rock n roll. They do miss on the overly Stonesy "Fat Girls," but they even nail the tracks that depart the straightforward rock n roll approach with cabaret ("Love Field") and folk ("Someone Has Broken"). There really aren't many better raw rockers than "Under the Moonlight" or "Serves You Right" or most of the rest of the album for that matter and "Cry" pours on the soul to finish the album.

You're Welcome is one of those albums that sounds like so many other garage acts on one level, yet stand apart in an almost intangible way. By the title, I guess they already knew I'd be saying, "Thank you."

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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