With what sounds like an old Theremin (it is!) from Lothar and the Hand People, straight out of The Outer Limits, a minute and five seconds of “Shazam” opens this creative ten song effort from Rusty Mullet. The debut album from this quartet emerged May 5, 2017 and it gets right down to business, track 2 “Gurrl” has a trippy, jangly open that deconstructs into pure melodrama grunge. The vibe and attitude consistent and compelling. It descends even further into the amazing “Toaster Soda” with a mesmerizing guitar riff and flavors of 60s group the Peanut Butter Conspiracy before it enters Black Sabbath territory. With material written by vocalist, rhythm guitarist Atiba J. McLaren (vocals, rhythm/lead guitar)
“Demented” crackles with electric fuzz and bubbling rhythms in a drone recitation a la The Velvet Underground’s “The Gift.” Only two tracks are in the 3-4 minute range, the opening prelude a minute .5 with the rest of the disc stretching out, going deeper into the secret sauce Rusty Mullet has concocted for their audience. “For Now” has a killer chorus with McLaren’s leads frosting the mix with edgy guitar that goes off the deep-end – insanely and nicely.
Bassist John Frechette indeed engages the theramin (track 1) while Brian Turcotte keeps it all together on the drums. That track at 6:15 while it’s follow-up, “The Aftermath of a Rose,” clocks in at 6:07 with a heartfelt rock/ballad. “My Sweet Mistress Nicotine,” frenetic instrumental “LSD Cowboy” and the exquisite “Spiderman” keep pace with distinct 1960s flavors updated for this new generation. You can than David Draper’s guitar solos on those previous two songs, along with the second solos/ guitar blasts in “My Sweet Mistress Nicotine” and “Toaster Soda.” It is garage rock, alternative punk-blues rock all mixed in an interesting and quite exciting way. “Trickery and Witchery” is an explosive ending to this thought provoking onslaught that has much to offer.
Joe Viglione is the Chief Film Critic at TMRZoo.com. He has written thousands of reviews and biographies for AllMovie.com, Allmusic.com, Gatehouse Media, Al Aronowitz’s The Blacklisted Journal, and a variety of other media outlets. Joe also produces and hosts Visual Radio, a seventeen year old variety show on cable TV which has interviewed Jodie Foster, director/screenwriter David Koepp, Michael Moore, John Cena, comics/actors Margaret Cho, Gilbert Gottfried, Gallagher, musicians Mark Farner and Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad, Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, political commentator Bill Press and hundreds of other personalities.
