The Douglass Brothers CD Release with The Resistors and the Jay Wiley Band. 8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 3. Rex Theatre, 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. $5 ($8 includes CD). 412-381-6811 or www.rextheatre.com
Holy shit, this record's wild. Local newcomers The Douglass Brothers kick off Still in the Basement with a slab of saturated guitars eerily reminiscent of early Stooges ... before downshifting into a different groove altogether.
Recorded by Joe Bartolotta at Machine Age studios, the disc's a reverberating, raunchy romp through '70s blues-rock, Melvins meatiness, slacker word-stew, and gentler textures reminiscent of Loaded-era Velvets. On "Midnite in Vegas," the vocals (courtesy Bob Hartle and Chris Kudrick) combine Lou Reed's swagger with Tom Verlaine's erratic intonation. Drummer Matt Cable never wimps out on the heavy grooves, and guitarist Steve Whooler isn't listed as "master shredder" in the liner notes for nothing: His screaming lead lines lend the tracks a creepy wildness, especially on "Unchartered Territory."
It's equally primitive and progressive, metallic and moody, but the best part about Still in the Basement is that it oozes its own funky personality and infectious sense of fun.
