The Murfreesboro, TN trio
the Katies -- consisting of brothers Jason and Josh Moore on guitar and drums, and Gary Welch on vocals -- takes the best elements of melodic hard rock and alternative pop to create an arresting debut. Melding the sonic punch of bands like
Stone Temple Pilots and the pop sense of
the Beatles, their first release, produced by Joe Baldridge, is an infectious brew. Lead singer Welch possesses the same pop-perfect vocals of Robin Zander and the music manages to sound both raw and polished at the same time. "Powerkiss," the lead-off track, is the first of many memorable cuts with its "do I, do I, do I...do I need you" hook. The single "Noggin' Poundin' (Tongue-Tied & Underspoken)" is a sheer sonic delight with its chugging riffs and buzzsaw guitars. The less frenetic numbers are also a flat-out success. "Shisiedo" features a dreamy, lovelorn lyric delivered by Welch with urgency, and "Jesus Pick" combines the moody, spacy feel with wry lyrics advising Jesus against returning to create a tour de force. An inspired and significant release made more impressive by the fact that it's
the Katies' first album. ~ Tom Demalon