Pressure In the Sodo

Album Review

In the mid-00s, the garage/punk genre experienced a commercial rebirth due in large part to Miami Steve Van Zandt's weekly radio show, Little Steven's Underground Garage. It goes without saying to anyone who has heard any of the previous five Boss Martians albums that lead Martian, guitarist/singer/songwriter Evan Foster, is probably a dedicated listener. The band has been on a hiatus, at least for studio recordings, since its last release in 2003, but this grungy rock & roll doesn't seem either retro or musty, even if it flaunts its revivalist influences. Foster takes the production reins this time and invites punk Godfather Iggy Pop to both co-write the driving "Mars Is for Martians" and sing dual lead on the tune. With pile-driving guitar, crashing drums, and an inescapable hook, it's the highlight of this set, even if the other dozen songs are nearly as well crafted. Foster has a knack for writing tight, tough, pithy rockers that burst out of disc with fire and energy. His longtime partner Nick Contento (ex-Nick C.)'s organ punches the songs forward with a combination of Deep Purple's Jon Lord styled propulsion and Elvis Costello's sidekick Steve Nieve's sheer musicality. Foster uses loud-soft dynamics and arrangements more intricate than most that work in this crowded genre. Echoes of the Zombies haunt the quieter passages of songs such as "Elsie," especially as the evocative keyboards provide sturdy backup for guitar solos that never overstay their welcome. The few midtempo ballads spaced throughout the set list occasionally reference the British Invasion, especially the Who-ish "And She's Gone," and the Doors on "If You Only Knew" adding more elements to Foster's arsenal. His voice has lost some of the overt Costello tics that somewhat hampered the last album, replacing them with nods to Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, a reasonable tradeoff that shifts this release to a heavier pop slant. But Cheap Trick hasn't sounded this edgy in years, nor have they written as many top-flight songs as Foster effortlessly churns out on this quality addition to the Martians' already impressive catalog.