Deadbolt - www.downinthelab.com
I Should Have Killed You... (released 2006)
Cargo Music - www.cargomusic.com
Deep, dark, brooding surf rock revival. I'm not sure much more needs to be said. Deadbolt have been around for some time, based in San Diego, they are entering their 17th year together. This album, their seventh, continues in the vein of a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack. In fact, the opening track "I Should Have Killed You" could have been the song playing in place of the Reverend Horton Heat track featured in the movie "Love & a .45". The girth of the disc is mellow rock sounds that are dark, well horror rock really. I've always dug the surf rock sound, Dick Dale and the like, the guitar work in the classic surf sounds are just incredible. Unfortunately the soaring guitars aren't regularly featured on this album, as the band comes across with a sound similar to Johnny Cash. By that I mean, Cash didn't use a lot of guitars to accomplish a great song. Deadbolt, like Cash, use vocals and a great story (lyrics) to get the song to stand out beyond the instruments that make it. Back to the album though... "I Should Have Killed You..." has twelve tracks of rock that is both pleasing and settling. The sound just helps you lean back and relax, as well it's not something that'll put you off as being too surfy like the Beach Boys, perhaps a better comparison would be a combination of the movie "Dead Boys" meet the Beach Boys! That's it! An added bonus on this disc is the incredible cover of the old working man's tune "Big John", it seems to have been written just for Deadbolt! The band simply owns that song! No other version even comes close to this rendition. Fans of loud Harley's, black leather, porkchop burns, horror rock and deep, gravelly sounds should find their way to sunny San Diego and get this album. -MG |
