The Datsuns

If the MC5 had been from New Zealand, maybe they would have sounded just like the Datsuns. Big, riffing guitars, a screaming, yowling front-man with a penchant for saying "mothafuhka," more big, wailing guitars, a drummer who rides the ride a lot and uses his woodblock liberally, a less-than-dynamic bass player who gets the job done nonetheless... you get the picture. Solid album from a solid band that just happens to be doing the same thing hundreds of other rawk bands have done before them. Fortunately, the suits tell us this sound is in right now, so these guys will undoubtedly help sell a lot of jeans - maybe even those distressed ones that are guaranteed to be looked at with the same sort of scorn currently reserved for acid wash. At least the Hives wear matching suits and seem to be trying to say something vaguely political at times. The Datsuns have longer hair, though, so they win... maybe.