Austin-based garage rockers
the Ugly Beats! embrace the sound of the 1960s on
Bring on the Beats!, their scorching 12-song debut. Recalling pieces of
the Kinks and
the Who, as well elements of
the Easybeats -- a band the outfit pays tribute to via the cover "I'll Make You Happy" -- the Texas outfit delivers a one-two punch right from the start with the organ-inflected, exuberant "KO'd." If the latter is easily the band's best moment, the spooky guitar fuzz that coats "Girl on the Brain" is pretty damn cool. Firecracking frontman Joe Emery is a garage rock maestro as evident on the sonic threat "I'll Walk Away," which sounds like it wouldn't be out of place on the Nuggets box set. ~ John D. Luerssen