Trax
By Bliss 08/19/2010
JJ GREY & MOFRO, Georgia Warhorse (Alligator): (4 stars out of 5)
The Florida jamband faves follow 2008’s “Orange Blossoms” groovefest with this bottom-fat feast of Southern funk and soul, a satisfyingly produced platter packed with infectious hooks and riffs. Grey’s studied his Stax playbook well. His songs dig a little deeper here, taking more time to let his grit-grained vocals express both sweet lust and spiritual yearning (“Gotta Know,” the transcendent “King Hummingbird”). But those peaks of expressive balladry are swiftly followed by ass-kicking jams bound to fill mosh pits and dancefloors. mofro.net, jjgrey.com
JP, CHRISSIE & THE FAIRGROUND BOYS, Fidelity! (La Mina/Rocket Science): (4 stars out of 5)
Pretenders frontwoman Hynde sounds looser, fresher and like she’s having more fun than she has in two decades on this endearing collaboration with Welsh singer-songwriter JP Jones. Her provocative yin-and-yang dynamic with younger, gruffer Jones informs their flint-and-fire harmonies and tart lyrics like the bittersweet title track and thematically similar “Perfect Lover” (“He was learning how to stand when I was wearing my first wedding band/ … I’ll not impede his way — his time is tomorrow, mine was yesterday”). At Grammy Museum in downtown LA Monday; appearing with Lucinda Williams at Queen Mary in Long Beach Aug. 26. jpchrissie.com
DARKER MY LOVE, Alive as You Are (Dangerbird): (3 stars out of 5)
The LA psych-rock quartet’s third album’s a thoughtfully arranged chronicle of change in the band’s sound (trading fuzz-toned shoegaze for acoustic guitars and gently spiraling harmonies) and personnel (Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Dan Allaire replaces departed drummer Andy Granelli). The songs, mostly written by frontman Tim Presley after his father’s death, emrace ’60s influences — principally the Beatles (“New America”), the Byrds (“Maple Day,” “Trail the Line”) and the Grateful Dead (“Backseat”). Listener response likely depends on classic rock tastes. myspace.com/darkermylove
THE MOTHER TRUCKERS, Van Tour (self-released): (3 stars out of 5)
The Austin roots-rockers “Keep It Simple,” to cite the most melodic (and pop-oriented) track here, focusing on rapid-fire guitar runs and the sassy, upbeat anthems that are their trademark. “Break-Up Sex” and lighthearted title track flirt with then sidestep novelty-song sinkhole, thanks to frontwoman Teal Collins’ full-throttle delivery and Josh Zee’s ZZ Top-evoking fretwork. It’s not hard to imagine audiences shouting along with those hooky choruses and the ferocious “Concentrate.” Most engaging live, the MTs play the Mint Friday. themothertruckers.com
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