Down & Dirty – Taste Of Rock & Roll
DOWN & DIRTY
TASTE OF ROCK & ROLL
Released April 30, 2011 (Down & Dirty)
CD Track List:
01. R U Ready
02. Taste Of Rock & Roll
03. Free & Young
04. All In
05. Fallin
06. Wild Child
07. Hurts So Good
08. Party With Me
09. Get It Right
10. You
11. Gotta Luv It
Band:
Majyk – vocals
LA – guitar
Ryan 9-Volt Tyler – bass
Joey The Kidd – drums
Additional Musicians:
Stephen Chacon – harmonica (11)
Production:
Produced, engineered and mixed by Chuck Macak.
Review:
After reviewing Down & Dirty‘s 2009 debut album Live Fast, which I thought was good, I always felt the band showed a lot of promise and had a lot more to offer. Without starting to sound like a Down & Dirty cheerleader, I have to say that their new disc Taste Of Rock & Roll has proven me right.
Down & Dirty have never come across as lacking in confidence, but after a few years of obviously working hard, they seem to have stamped more authority on their musical direction and lead singer Majyk sounds more self-assured. The band have always given off the impression that they are having a good time, and from what unfolds here, this disc is no exception.
From start to finish the whole shebang is a bright and breezy listen with an optimistic feel. Everything is covered here — from the title track “Taste Of Rock & Roll” that sails the seas of cheese (but when has cheese ever been a problem for sleaze fans?) with its intro of two girls talking on the phone about their excitement of meeting the Down & Dirty guys, the Poison-like “Party With Me”, the slightly bluesy hard rock of “Get It Right”, the killer low-down rocker “Wild Child” all the way to the infectious “Free & Young”.
The power ballad that is “Fallin” isn’t a song I would personally chose to put on when I wander over to my disc collection, but it has to be said that Down & Dirty do this kind of stuff well and seem to have really hit their stride here. The unmistakable opening riff of “Hurts So Good” showcases the boys covering the John Mellencamp tune, a song I used to love back in the day, by putting their own guitar spin on it as well as changing some lyrics (I’m pretty sure Mellencamp‘s original never contained ‘fucking around all night long’). It is a decent enough cover version though.
Down & Dirty have come a long way baby! While Taste Of Rock & Roll doesn’t equate to reinventing of the wheel, it is traditional, lively party rock and a damn solid release. Without a doubt this is a young band from Illinois that are worth giving a listen — now excuse me while I get back to spinning “Wild Child”.
www.facebook.com/downndirtychicago – www.myspace.com/downndirtyband
Reviewed by Tania for Sleaze Roxx, June 2011
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