BLUES PATROL - "ROCK" c20 (Hot & Ready)


Blues Patrol are a two piece from CA.Their newest cassette for Hot & Ready, is aptly titled "ROCK", which is pretty accurate, although after hearing it a few times, I think that "BENZO ROCK" would be more appropriate.Aesthetically, this has everything that I like about minimalist punk and pop acts of the 80's and 90's(see: awkward skinny male on cover, b+w breakfast/hangout photo insert, etc), and sounds alot like them, too.They've got the broken swagger and hiss of Beat Happening, without all the deep vox and painful cuteness.It's very simple, and could very well be 90% improvised.You start playing, and I'll catch up..and now we've got a song.Repeat.The guitars are distant and catchy, and sound just right for this kind of laced vocal style.The words just kind of fall out of his mouth.They've got a fairly heavy blues vibe going on, and like to keep things pretty laid back."Ain't No Gremlin Rock" has a rather infectious saxophone stumbling throughout most of it, and it's probably the best track on the tape.It reminds me the busted collage sound of the Shadow Ring, with a bit of that lo-fi creeper vibe of Russian Tsarlag, completely by accident..ROCK sounds like it's going to fall apart at any second, and it's a not a bad thing at all.Pick one up from Hot&Ready.