Pocket Change
Thursday, 30 April 2009 08:25 | 
Author: The Grouch | 
Pocket Change is the debut album from Ontario based Automan.ca.
These guys sent me some tracks and asked me to check out their debut. I can say I dig it! It was such a refreshing blast after numerous submissions from Neo-Hippy Folksters who mumble while strumming a chord or two while trying to make some deep intellectual statement.
If that is what you dig then Automan.ca is not for you. I haven't heard anything similar to this since I reviewed The Rockets from Sweden.
So what exactly will you find if you listen to Pocket Change?
In a nutshell, Southern rock from the Great White North.
They remind me a little bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd. They reminded Gabe O, the Mexican Biker Elf who comes bearing the gift of music, of Jackyl. (For the record there are no chainsaws used on this album.)
This is old school blued based rock. The man can play guitar - well. Every song has moments of absolutely brilliant guitar. This is backed by a rhythm section that does its job. The bass player and drummer are spot on. Every song has a moment in which I find myself smiling thinking - BOOM - there it is that's Rock and Roll kids.
There are a couple of downsides. On some tracks his voice sounds good - at times it reminds me of the dude in AC/DC after Bon Scott. At times they sound disjointed to me. Case in point, track 1 Back In The Sun at the 34 second mark an odd refrain comes in that doesn't seem to fit the song. This is an interesting song - the very beginning reminds me of Jethro Tull but slower. Then at the 2:02 mark he sounds like Tom Petty before a brilliant guitar comes in at 2:14 and stops my mind from wandering. All in all I like this song a lot. (Dudes, I don't dig that refrain it hits the Southern rock vibe with a short blast of Motley Crue.)
Some of the words really make me laugh.
Track 2 - Dig In Deep - I like the words. I'm a stud in a stall kicking at your wall but you treat me like pocket change
and
Track 3 - Cinnamon Rain - The goofy lyrics continue I don't need no drug store candy her taste keeps me high / She's got rainbow flavor in her eyes. Cinnamon Rain really reminds me of Cinnamon Girl.
The bottom line is simple on this one. Every song rocks and they are good. I like these guys. They don't even sound Canadian. (That is a joke, I believe these guys grew up in southern Ontario , that is across the river from my home town of Detroit.) I wonder if they are old enough to remember the mega powerhouse Rock station CKLW out of Windsor? Interestingly Alice Cooper first hit when CKLW put School's Out in their rotation. So - thank you Canada!
Pocket Change gets 3 and 1/2 scowls on the Grouch scale. If you like electric guitar that rips it up, you will enjoy this album.
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Last Updated (Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:54)