Throw Rag - 13 Ft. and Rising

Genre rock Publisher Better Youth Organization External Links Official Website Better Youth Organization

Every since forming in the California desert, party rockers Throw Rag have claimed to actually "be" rock 'n roll. If this is true, no wonder there aren't many people listening to rock 'n roll these days. With the bands latest full length album 13 Ft. and Rising, Throw Rag speeds through cliched guitar solos and washed up vocal shenanigans like coked out, eighties rock has beens. Their claim however, may not be too far fetched because it's hard to place these guys in a specific category because they're too fast and punky for eighties or nineties rock, yet too Van Halen for the punk and alternative influenced sounds of rock music today.

On the songs "Swingset Superman" and "Trouble," singer Captain Sean Doe, sounds like the freak demon spawn of David Lee Roth and Axil Rose; and though Capt. Doe may find this to be quite the compliment, it's flat out offensive. On "Bobby Wayne," the entire band screams the phrase "don't give a fuck" over and over again, putting a staple in the trashiness of this record, then breaking into some sort of experimental devil feast at the end. One thing is for sure on this album, these guys are old fashioned rockers with plenty of songs about alcohol, partying, chicks, and the road. "Radio Romantica" is another fast, testosterone driven song that kind of sounds like early Sugar Ray before the biggest sell out in the history of rock 'n roll. "Sad Girl," is a slower song where Doe summons up the vocal power of late Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley with long, dreary moans. With "So. 5th St (Country in the O.G.)," the boys pay tribute to their country influences, playing greased up, rockabilly style rock and actually manage to create a more defining sound. Perhaps this is a good fit for them. The album concludes with "The Promise," a more punk, Jonny Rotten-esque tune, and "Children of the Secret State" where the guys try to focus their attention on winning over the teenage audience. The only problem with this is that most of the people listening are probably old mullet rockers and grease monkeys.

If you're the bleached blonde groupie type who enjoys tossing your bra on stage and sitting on someone's shoulders while flashing your boobs to thousands of people, or a beer swigging macho dude who crushes empty Miller cans on your head, than this album is for you. But for the rest of the music lovers out there, 13 Ft. and Rising is just a big headache.