22-20s, 22-20s

Similar to the Stones of the ’70s and the garage bands of late (Strokes, Sights, White Stripes), the 22-20s cross straight-up rock ‘n’ roll with classic blues while maintaining an Oasis-like swagger and modern appeal. Subject matter includes the typical rock star excesses: drugs (“Lord, it’s so hard to keep your head / When you’ve got everything to lose,” from “Baby Brings Bad News”); Satan (“Devil In Me”); guns (“Where’d you learn to shoot that gun so straight?,” from “Shoot Your Gun”); and sex (“I wish I could dance with you / But girl, my feet don’t move,” from the melodic “The Things That Lovers Do”). Other songs showcase the band’s influences; for example, “22 Days” could be a lost Zeppelin track — its hard-edged rhythm and forced vocals recall “Good Times Bad Times” — and the mostly acoustic “Friends” sounds like early Dylan (“Trying to find out where trouble ends / I’ve found out it’s in your friends”). What makes the 22-20s different from their peers, however, is that their songs are more consistent and accessible — if there wasn’t such a backlash against garage bands at present, the 22-20s would undoubtedly hit it big. This is a great album.