Burger City Rock N Roll: July 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

BAD LOVERS GET BENT REVIEW

By Paul Blawat

If you’re reading this* I likely don’t need to remind you of the intense scope and depth of the current Austin, Texas (and surrounding area) rock ‘n’ roll scene.** The Bad Lovers are another fine band of rebel rousers from the Lone Star State. Their new LP, Actin’ Strange, manages to Vulcan Mind Meld thematically with fellow Texan emissaries while whittling out their own niche duck of rock. The LP begins with the John Wesley Coleman III-ish “Things That I Forgot”, seemingly intertwined with a million notes dredged from rock ‘n’ roll history.*** Plenty of call and response southern-fried soul. “Actin’ Strange” delves into Reigning Sound/Deadly Snakes territory. The vocals really come through with very little effects (I think) and a load of soul. “I’m So Down”, “Playin’ the Fool”, and “Pieces” demonstrate the Lovers’ sweet as caramel side. Not all bands can fire up a bunch of intense rug-cutters and effectively and instantaneously parley that drive into a heart-melting tearjerker.**** These longhairs can rock, and quite possibly steal your girl/guy’s heart. Unless they really are bad lovers; then it’s all just window dressing. I’m not much of a dancer, but if you put on “Sump’n Else” (and gave me some hooch) I’d likely shake an embarrassing leg or two.***** A thoroughly nice twister for your shindig. “You and I” treads Black Lips-ness. So what! You got a problem with that? I didn’t think so. “Back Away From Me” reminds me of long gone Missouri wildmen The Revelators. Raw as hell blues. Actin’ Strange is to be unleashed July 8th as the initial Burger City Rock N Roll release. Snap up a copy here. *It would be rather John Barth-ian if you weren’t. **But I will: A Giant Dog, OBN III’s, Video, Wax Museums, the Golden Boys, Flesh Lights, Mind Spiders and so on… ***Some Fogarty, and a dash of Buddy (Rich or Holly - you decide). ****See Don Draper when he fixes a leak in The Campbell’s sink. *****I still have both.