October 26, 2004

AM "Francophiles & Skinny Ties"

With a swagger straight out of 1979, Brooklyn band AM rock and rock hard on Francophiles & Skinny Ties, their debut mini-album. With a sound that's torn someplace between that whole 'new rock and roll' thing from a few years ago and pure British punk--Buzzcocks, not Sex Pistols--this threesome blend unapologetic rock riffs ("Sex N Drugs") and hard yet gracefully melodic moments ("Quiet N Dayglo"), AM deftly pulls faces at all that come in its wake. Poppy at times, full of drunken swagger at others--and James Jones is easily the best snotty singer since Mclusky, the eight songs on Francophiles & Skinny Ties does exactly what it needs to do and then get the hell out of here--not a moment of the eighteen minutes on here is wasted in the least. Could they offer more than that? Probably, but too much would weigh it down. A quick blast of rock and roll music, just like they used to make it.

--Joseph Kyle

Artist Website: http://www.amtheband.com

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