“[BLA dahmp] You gonna need! [BLA na nuh na na nEH BLA dahmp] You’re gonna need my help I said!” What’s that coming out of the electric mud? Why, it’s Danny Methric’s moustache. The joyful blues-fueled wail of Methric’s electric guitar leads us through the Muggs’ new self-titled LP, and he’s met at every bent note and thick-cut power chord by the rhythm section of Tony DeNardo and Matt Rost. The trio never wastes anything, and what fat there is just sizzles because they ride such a tight line between hardness and deftness. “Monster” hits heavy, decelerates into its gentle midsection, buries the gas pedal right where it has to, and finally becomes a bird floating on the sunlight. It’s effortless, like a six-minute abstract of the 1971 classic Vanishing Point. Meanwhile, the stomping “Should’ve Learned My Lesson” rolls a giant rusted-up STP sign right through your front window, and you love it. Because despite using simple tools to make their rock, the Muggs make music evocative. The fervent harmonies of “Said and Done,” the sinuous build on the instrumental “Underway,” Methric’s lick and a promise on “Rollin’ B-Side Blues” — this music’s vintage-minded, but it’s professional-grade.
Johnny Loftus writes about music for Metro Times. E-mail [email protected].
