www.myspace.com/bangups

If you're looking for a loud, fuzzy, catchy-… Read Full Bio ↴www.myspace.com/bangups

If you're looking for a loud, fuzzy, catchy-as-hell and at times abrasive record, look no further than Bangups EP "Ten Dollars An Hour." Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bangups consists of guitarist/vocalist Joey Dornbos and drummer Brent French. They've got that dirty, bluesy, early White Stripes thing going on, though with pop sensibilities reminiscent of The Strokes & The Animals. All of this makes for a very energetic listen.

One stand-out track is the foot-stomping "Sunburnt Love." This song centers on "Sweet Little Janie..." She's got "the jeans with the butterflies on the back pockets" that make the "boys' eyeballs pop out of their sockets." It's a dirty little tale of a young fellow's sexual encounters, the love that follows, and the inevitable break up; truly the makings of a typical youngster's summer. The snares just pound on the chorus, as the lyrics sing, "My sunburnt love died in the autumn rain.

Another notable track is an oddball tune titled, "Bible Camp." Musically, this sounds like a blues song. Lyrically, however, it's a full-out fundamentalist sermon. With a healthy dose of sarcasm, the words sound like they're spoken by some overprotective youth group leader. As the chorus prays, "Dear God, keep us safe on the road/Be with the kids and their chaperones...in Jesus' name amen/Now kids don't you dare forget this here bible church you represent...in Jesus' name amen."

This is the kind of music that Michigan, home to such greats as Iggy & The Stooges, Death, and The White Stripes, has used to smash a dent in rock n' roll history. Though Bangups have been around just a short time, they'll do their state proud if they keep cranking out albums like this one.-JS