Chronics

The Chronics may look a lot less glamorous than label-mates the Flaming Sideburns, but their Nordic garage-soul is coming from the same place. It’s albino-eyed to be sure, but just kick-ass enough for you to not worry about the pigmentation of the players. The danger with all these garage bands getting into blues and soul is that it can come off like a boring ’80s "Monday night blues jam,” but some crunchy production and the use of organ, horns and female back-ups, like on "Make You Move," keeps things pretty peppy. Other strong tracks includes the ballad "Honey Blue," which conjures up shades of Them, and the blaring "Hot Blood Boy," with its great sounding distorted drum breaks. This isn’t exactly breakthrough stuff, but fans of bands like the Hives and other Bad Afro bands that are hungry for more will dig this.