Shadows on the Sun
Very few bands can channel the dirty funk of rhythm and blues into rock & roll quite likeZen Guerrillacan. (Other exceptions include theDirtbombs,Delta 72, andWhite Stripes.) Frontman Marcus Durant possesses a deep, soulful voice that hammers sonic fury into one track and bellows a deep-seated gospel wail the next. His volatile vocal style commands attention, whether he's coveringDavid BowieandOtis Reddingor singing one of Zen Guerrilla's original underground classics-in-the-making.Shadows on the Sunis another riveting release from this completely underrated act. The complex arrangements--a mix ofJimi Hendrix,MC5, and electric blues with a little harmonica on the side--ignite when touched with Durant's calling out lines like "Let me hear the testimony" on "Inferno." From the slow, furious jam on "Smoke Rings" through the acid-rock trails streaming around "Subway Transmission," Zen Guerrilla hits the mark with their punk rock boogie every single time.--Jennifer Maerz