Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster

If ever a band were to unwittingly take a page from ’90s Canadian rhythmic assailants Kittens, it would be Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. While this sextet are clearly more refined in their approach, blending degrees of subtle dynamics over the course of this loose concept album (relating the tale of ’20s criminal Ma Barker), there’s no denying that their basic attack is beyond reminiscent of Kittens’ beat-heavy rhythms, staccato riffs offset by angular guitar melodies and inhuman shrieking. Incredibly difficult to avoid, this punctuated metre inevitably results in foot-stomping adoration. However, before cries of "carbon copy” can be uttered the band shift into a strangely enticing Southern rock groove, which is predominant on "Plenty Strong And Plenty Wrong.” It’s an appealing guessing game of whether or not II will flow straight and undaunted or twist and turn for a more enjoyable ride. Thankfully, the band take the latter path, challenging not only their own abilities but that of listeners to keep up and fully ingest the prior groove before even acknowledging the next.