Los Straitjackets

Bland, stale and boring are the first words that come to mind when describing the new Los Straitjackets album. Songs like the lead-off tracks "Squid,” "Dipinto Twist" and "Time Bomb" don’t even sound finished, with no discernible melodies or any hooks to speak of. They sound like bed tracks for songs are supposed to have vocal parts laid over top, because all we’ve really got here is tired blues progressions over often sloppy drumming. Are these guys hooked on heroin now or something? This slip into total musical oblivion is surprising, as the band has been doing shows with the Ventures over the last few years, yet nothing of that legendary group’s sheen has seemed to rub off on Los Straitjackets. The only explanation other than hardcore smack addiction here is that the record company pressed a tape of a band practicing or something, and not the actual finished album tapes. Not only is this an all-time career low it’s also a blow to instrumental music in general.