New Bomb Turks

One of the best-known modern punk bands in the world has returned with a new drummer and a new album with Nightmare Scenario. Recorded in Detroit at garage mecca Ghetto Recorders Studios (Dirtys, Andre Williams), the usual Turks onslaught is given the scrappy treatment. The music is still powerful and tight, but it's sure not your usual squeaky-clean Epitaph punk release, sounding fairly "live" and ambient, like a good punk record should. The kick-off track, "Point A to Point Blank," gets the party going in a speedy manner with its snipes at the current fixation on pretending to be white trash. "The End of the Great Credibility Race" is a classic sounding Turks track with some catchy choruses and drilling guitar work. Even when the boys slow things down, like on "Killer's Kiss," which features some sweet electric piano, the grooves stay tight. Just before "Spanish Fly By Night," a freaky little untitled flanged-out instrumental "soundscape" is wedged between songs that give the listener a nice break before the pummelling continues. It's little accents like this that make this the most interesting record these guys have put out in years, although they still sound a little to much like the Black Crowes for their own good when they do more "soulful" numbers like "Your Beaten Heart."