Danko Jones - Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue (Album Review)
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Written by Heather McDaid
Though being personally unfamiliar with Danko Jones until watching their recent documentary-style DVD earlier this year (reviewed here), it's proven quite exciting waiting for this release. With little familiarity with their back catalogue to compare it against, it seemed a refreshing change of pace to have to take an album at face value, despite it being quite a while into their career.
Giving it a debut spin on a car drive long enough to factor in exactly one full listen, it instantly proved impressive. 'Terrified' kicks off with a chugging riff, immediately cranking the album into high gear with an addictive rhythm to the verse, guiding the listener into the chorus. A musical interlude sees the down and dirty rock 'n' roll aspects to come to the front in a guitar heavy offering. So, let's just say the first track sets the bar for the album to be a belter.
And in some ways it is. Musically, this has a hell of a lot going for it. 'Get Up' is one of the catchiest numbers on the record, with a groove to the riff that reflects the club vibe vocalised throughout. But, it's the lyrical content that seems to throw you off. Amid the insatiably good guitar riffs, straight up rock vibes, the lyrics just seem a little disappointing. "You don't give a shit when you've got the biggest dick" stood out on a first listen, and countless times later it still feels weird.
'Legs' faces similar criticisms. Despite a bluesy drawl to the track, an entire number dedicated to long legs (preferably ten feet tall) being wrapped around him seems a bit strange. Some could argue that they're indulging in the rock 'n' roll ideology of sleaziness and dedicating tracks to women, but this record is angelic compared to the innumerably tracks dedicated to booty in the world today. It seems more of an appreciation of women, or one in particular, than anything else - as proven in 'I Don't Care'. He doesn't care if the world is about to blow up, all he cares about is if she's into him. That's nice, isn't it?
This is just a personal preference. There's a down and dirty rock and roll vibe to the entire release with other influences thrown in on top - and that factor is brilliant. Similarity-wise, 'Type O' Girl' seems reminiscent of Bowling For Soup's 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' off the bat - through message or otherwise, it's just stuck since a first listen - and the introduction of 'Always Always' just screams AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck'. 'Believe In God' feels like you're sitting in a church in America, witnessing one of those impassioned preachers hailing rock 'n' roll. Right on cue the track lurches into a speedy riff that typifies that genre they seem to be revelling in.
The lyrics across the board had highs and lows, but the real highlight proved to be the music itself, especially the guitar work. This is just a personal preference and without prior familiarity to their discography. They are completely masterful of their guitar work, so much so it's hard not to appreciate how tight their musicality is. 'Rock and Roll is Black and Blue' is good and - minus a few similarities - musically, it's completely solid.
'Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue’ is available now via Bad Taste Records.
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Giving it a debut spin on a car drive long enough to factor in exactly one full listen, it instantly proved impressive. 'Terrified' kicks off with a chugging riff, immediately cranking the album into high gear with an addictive rhythm to the verse, guiding the listener into the chorus. A musical interlude sees the down and dirty rock 'n' roll aspects to come to the front in a guitar heavy offering. So, let's just say the first track sets the bar for the album to be a belter. 
