"You misjudge me" - (This is The Sonics)

This is The Sonics

why you'll love it: The most incredible dismissal of "old dudes can't rock"

why you'll hate it: Really dumb lyrics

The Sonics have done it.  They may have cheated a bit, but so far it's looking like The Sonics... a band in their 70's, after more than 40 years of hanging up their guitars, have put out the most natural rough and dirty rock and roll album of 2015.  This, in a year thus far occupied by John Reis, Screaming Females, and Drenge.

The Sonics combine garage rock & roll with swing, surf, and punk.  It's not anything that hasn't been done well before, it's just done with perfect execution here.  It's as loud, hard-hitting, and fun in every way a simple rock album should be.  Performance wise, this album is like one giant "fuck you" to anyone that comes close to using the phrase "too old to rock".  The band is practically busting out of the stereo here.  Jerry Roslie screams like he's 26.  Just about every instrument used packs a punch, and there are a lot of them.  Saxophones, organs, and tambourines get their shit in.  Jim Diamond deserves as much credit as the band for mixing everything just right.

So here is how The Sonics cheated... a good 2/3 of this album are covers.  The original cut, "Bad Betty" sneaks its way early into the album undetected, but otherwise, covers get all the glory here.  Granted, they're kick ass covers.  It's pretty obvious though when the rest of the new material makes its way into the track list.  The repetitive riff in "I've Got Your Number" makes it impossible for me not to sing "LAND OF THE HOT KNIVES".  Sometimes predictable lyrics fit right in with a simple song structure, but "Save The Planet" has lyrics so corny ("If you want to go to Mars / You might be disappointed / Cause they've got no whiskey bars") it may take you out of the moment.  The closer, "Spend The Night" is about as awkward as a man in his 70's talking about young lust vs love should be.

The wheels start to come off in the last 10 minutes, but This is The Sonics doesn't stick around long enough for its decline to leave a poor impression.  The performances in these original cuts still rock hard, especially "Bad Betty".  So if you shut your brain off, they shouldn't be a problem.  Covers may not be as "legitimate", but man, they're gonna kick your ass.  A record of old songs performed by a bunch of old dudes kicked my ass.  There's no better praise I can give this album than that.