New York rockers
Sour Jazz continue their rip-roaring
Iggy Pop revivalism on
Rock & Roll Ligger, a third disc of straight-shooting late-'70s-style gutter rock. With tracks such as "Big Generator," a groovy, bouncy, crammed-in-the-back-seat-on-a-Saturday-night kind of song, and "Drinking Alone Under the Moon," a proto-punk adrenaline hit, lead sourpuss Mr. Ratboy might have sold this as a demo to a hipster filmmaker in need of getaway-scene music. A lower profile seems its destiny, but that's not to discount it as a disc that will bring great joy to those who love a full-on baritone assault. Though there are moments when Mr. Ratboy's rebellion-drenched vocals might be mistaken for
Billy Idol's here, his guitar stylings are untouchable.
Sour Jazz are a seedy kind of outfit, something that
Rock & Roll Ligger proudly reinforces. But you'll still want to crank them up. ~ Tammy La Gorce