Roadsaw

Where have all the cock rockers gone? Sheathed in faded black from the collars of their leather motorcycle jackets to the steel toes of their combat boots, Boston's Roadsaw are working hard to reanimate rock's limp carcass. On that path they find themselves straddling the DMZ between straight ahead rock and the massive, fuzzed-out riffs of stoner rock. They hit all the right musical marks and keep the rock I.Q. suitably stupid. With songs called "The Finger," "That's Mr. Motherfucker To You," "Bad Ass Rising" and "Scorpion Bowl," you know they've got just enough ironic self-awareness to sidestep complete moronic cock rock excess without sacrificing that fundamental carnal "umph." From the album's cover poses to the meaty riffs, rock growls and pounding rhythm section, it's obvious they've spent many hours praying at the alter of heaviosity. Their influences aren't necessarily as narrow as a lot of current cut-rate stoner rock, but there's no arguing that the first of two bonus tracks has the bombast of Dopes To Infinity-era Monster Magnet as sung by Kyuss's John Garcia. Belter Craig Riggs shreds his vocal chords with big ass growls, but shares the limited vocal range of Garcia. You know something definitely smells in the state of American rock when a good old American rock band has to go to Sweden to get a disc released. Have they forgotten that the Swedes are a bunch of visor-wearing Euro-sissies on the rink, for Christ's sake? Wait until Don Cherry hears about this. Rawk N Roll delivers what the name promises, and in the words of Monster Magnet's Dave Wyndorf, it's time to "rock out, with your cock out!"