The Loved Ones capitalize on righteous anger, and on the choices we make each and every day (the good, the bad & the ugly) Building on their strong 2006 release Keep Your Heart, Build & Burn (produced by Pete and Bryan of the Bouncing Souls) delivers gloriously propulsive raveups ("Pretty Good Year," "The Inquirer," and "Sarah's Game") that aren't afraid to be catchy. Though singer/guitarist Dave Hause's wordy, muscular vocal workout suggests pop punk, his songs are simply better than almost anything you'd hear on the Warped Tour. This is the big, bright pop record that these indie rockers always had in them. Manicured choruses amid meaty, danceable beats (sure to inspire moshing and crowd surfing) are abundant and nurtured by the band, along with clever inventiveness. There's darkness and light in Hause's lyrics, but the whole album suggests a talented young band that is reaching out to a bigger audience without leaving their brains behind. - Phil Rainone

THE FLESHTONES - Take a Good Look (www.yeproc.com)

"WELLLLL, C'MON!!" With a shout and yelp, lead singer Peter Zaremba sends a wakeup call to every part of your body, as the rest of the Fleshtones grab hold of your senses, sending you on a journey to the center of your mind (thank you, Amboy Dukes), with reverb’d, retro-burnin' maximun mojo, garage rock 'n roll!! And what's best is, this doesn't surprise me one bit. The Fleshtones hearken back to the 70's, playing a threatening barrage from the glory days of garage rock that's on par with beastly bands like The Cramps, Dolls, and a little Link Wray thrown in for good measure. "Love Yourself" sounds like an Animals’ demo: Dusty, dirty, and just the right amount of sass and posturing, just like the perfect garage/ punk rock tune should sound like! "Back to School" is the long-delayed response to Alice Cooper's "School's Out" - almost. Cool, funny, and it's also an English teacher's nightmare ("I'm goin' back to school/ I Gotta learn me sumthin' new!") Rounding out the band with the ageless Zaremba are Ken Fox on bass, Bill Milhzer on drums, and guitarist Keith Streng, who all continue to play at their peak after over 30 years of rockin’. These musicians trade licks as though they're tribal-dancing together and just cranking out great rock & roll. "Ruby's Time Out" has a Springsteen vibe circa "The River," raunchy rockabilly with a skin-shedding, snake-like organ cadence weaved into the fabric of the song. You know, I think every band should have their own theme song like the loopy rocker "Jet-Set Fleshtones." They invite everyone to "Move on up to the front of the stage for a better look," and it rivals the Monkees’ theme song for bragging rights. "Down to the Ground," "New York City," and "Take a Good Look" close out the album, which in a better world would be serving as a soundtrack for college dorms everywhere (think Rhino Records' Frat Rock Series of danceable, rockin' over-the-top tunes). The Fleshtones played at Asbury Lanes a few years ago, and they absolutely rocked the house- I gotta see 'em again! - Phil Rainone

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