Ain't My Lookout is
the Grifters' tightest and cleanest record to date, but that's only a relative term -- the band's previous records were so noisy and sloppy that it was occasionally difficult to discern melodies and hooks within the song. Apart from the band's sharper attack, things havent' changed that much on
Ain't My Lookout. The songs are still based in rootsy, Stonesy rock & roll, but run through the shredder, making the riffs jagged and the chords angular. Although it has slightly higher production values than their early singles, the sound remains endearingly lo-fi and ragged. The Grifters haven't changed their sound enough to be labeled a sellout by their indie fans, but they may have opened it up enough to welcome in new fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine