Ginger EP

Toss this disc by Detroit trio the Cyril Lords on the ever-growing pile of records that aren’t nearly as good as they should be. On the surface, the individual performances are strong, and studio button-pushers Jim Diamond and Al Sutton give the band a bright, crisp sound that’s remarkably a few steps away from garage land. Comely Asian drummer Mayuko pounds sufficiently on “She Don’t Know What She’s Talking About” — which sounds like a modern, fuzzed-out version of the Gentrys — and the powerful “Lou Says” showcases more than two minutes of impressively rambunctious bass lines. At times, the rhythm and lead guitars get the blood pumping, especially on the slyly catchy title track, but, unfortunately, as a whole, this disc is flatter than a sheet of notebook paper. Perhaps it’s the too-often thin vocal drone of Marty Morris, or maybe it’s that the songs lack the depth and substance of their obvious influences (Delta blues, British Invasion). Either way, the shortcomings are enough to snuff the life from the band; the elements for catchy, soul-deep rock ’n’ roll are here, but the Cyril Lords simply misplace them.

Gary Blackwell writes about music for Metro Times. Send comments to letters@metrotimes.com.