Legendary Wings play punk rock, and they do it in a way that's deceptively simple -- they bang out fast and loud three-chord tunes with energy and snarky enthusiasm, and they know how to throw in just the right amount of melodic hooks to keep things lively along the way. If
Legendary Wings don't seem to be reinventing the wheel on their second album,
Do You See, that's a big part of their charm -- the band has the courage to make a good, simple, and powerful punk rock album without trying to reshape the form into something seemingly more adventurous but less satisfying, bypassing post-hardcore uniformity for a meat-and-potatoes, garage-accented Midwestern guitar attack. And while its surfaces may seem simple, like a big block engine in an old hot rod, the album gets the job done and takes you where you want with a minimum of fuss and plenty of forward velocity. (And when the bandmembers slow down a bit on the title cut, they show they have a firm grasp on space and dynamics, and it makes a real difference.) The music on
Do You See isn't especially complex, but it's far from dumb, and guitarist and vocalist Scott Tarrian brings just enough drama to keep things lively, while bassist Matt Maier and drummer Jeff "The Snake" Mahannah keep punching forward on each song. At only ten songs and 22 minutes,
Do You See suggests that
Legendary Wings have been a bit short on inspiration since cutting their 2012 debut, Making Paper Roses, but what's here is clever and street-smart, and absolutely delivers the goods; if you're looking for a good, fast, loud time,
Do You See is what you want. ~ Mark Deming