The Make-Up

Washington DC’s garage funksters are back with their sixth full-length disc of hump and grind goodness. Like Japan’s Zoobombs and American countrymen Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Lynnfield Pioneers, Make Up strut the line where funk groove meets rawk blues. On Save Yourself the Make Up spend some time in the studio to create an album with more attention to texture while successfully maintaining their extroverted passion. Although less in the garage rock mold than previous outings, the band uncover more melody and soul to preach their highly sexual gospel. Where the most common rock’n’roll subject matter has always be getting laid, the Make Up like to take things right to the finish line with their fixation on making babies. On “Call Me Mommy” the band comes correct with a new tangent into ’60 psychedelic pop. Other highlights include funk-up “White Belts” with its electro-beat backdrop, the soulful slow groove of “The Bells” and the full-on rock rave-up “(Make Me A) Feelin’ Man.” The album closes with a surprisingly pretty rendition of the often covered ’60s Seeds song “Hey Joe.”