Rock ‘n roll is good for your soul… new releases

Lately, I’ve begun to regain faith in the power of rock ‘n roll. Here’s some great new rock music… and there’s more to come next time.

The Trash Mavericks, The Wild Ones, Lizard Skin Records.

It’s no secret that New Jersey’s Trash Mavericks are my favorite “local” rock ’n roll band. And I mean “Rock ’n Roll” in its most basic sense. These four work-a-day guys from northern and central Jersey mix influences as diverse as Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, Mott The Hoople, Humble Pie and the twang of alt/country artists like Steve Earle and Johnny Cash, and have been doing so for 17 years, playing large and small gigs both domestically and abroad, steadily releasing excellent albums of original and cover material and maintaining a consistent level of enthusiasm and high energy.

Their latest CD is a collection of otherwise unavailable or unreleased original songs and souped-up cover versions of tunes by The Stones (“Route 66”), The Flamin’ Groovies (“The First One Is Free”), Bob Dylan (“Wanted Man”), Johnny Rivers (“Secret Agent Man”) and Bo Diddley (“I Can Tell”). The first nine cuts are from the 1987 version of the Mavericks with a second guitarist, featuring killer originals like “Lay Down Your Guns,” “Kill Me With Your Lovin’” and “Dig Your Own Grave.” The last three tracks were recorded recently with the band in their present incarnation as a four piece, with “Highway 29” being the choice cut, a stomping garage rocker.

If you consider yourself a rock ’n roll fan, check out The Trash Mavericks. After catching numerous Mavericks gigs and listening to all their recorded work, I can attest to the fact that they are THAT good! The Trash Mavericks are arguably the best roots rock ’n roll band around. It just doesn’t get much better. To get a copy, email the band at trashmavericks@hotmail.com.

Rock Four, Another Beginning, Rainbow Quartz Records.

The Rock Four are an Israeli band and their sound is directly influenced by 60s British and American psychedelia and bands like The Byrds, Chocolate Watch Band, The Move, early Pink Floyd and raunchy, fuzztone garage rock in general. The music has a slightly gloomy vibe to it (hey, these guys live in Israel, with terrorism and violence). Stately chord progressions and melodies clash with somber vocals and trippy instrumental passages, while crashing drums mixed with steady bass patterns keep the music anchored to the ground. The Rock Four have released a very impressive retro rock disc. www.rainbowquartz.com.

The Kickbacks, Blindside View, Sodapop Records.

The Kickbacks are a Boston area band with a penchant for crunchy power chords, plaintive lyrics about love and very hummable melodies. I hesitate to compare their music to other artists, but The Kickbacks have a strong sense of melodic rock, power pop and seventies/eighties rockers like The Replacements and Tommy Tutone (remember “Jenny/867-5309”?). I listened to Blindside View over and over, and especially enjoyed their version of John Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night,” as well as all their original material. Who says there’s no good rock music anymore? The Kickbacks blow that theory right out of the water. www.TheKickbacks.com.

Superdrag, Last Call For Vitriol, Arena Rock Recording Company.

Superdrag is a critic’s darling alt/rock band from the south whose music is definitely 60s British and power pop influenced. With emotional vocal harmonies, taut arrangements, strong guitar work and powerful drumming, Superdrag’s latest work is electrifying. And need I say the tunes are all totally memorable, with a developed sense of tension and release, light and shade, and melodies that bring to mind The Kinks and The Beatles among others? Tracks like “I Can Wait” and the raunchy “The Staggering Genius” simply burn.