Rock N Roll Soldiers 'Two EP's' album

Brothers and sisters, do we not yearn for some real kind of kick? Where be the greasy kids with dirty jokes, tight jeans, air-guitar magnetism, and scribbled directions to the party?

Well DO look now, as the ROCK’N’ROLL SOLDIERS are stomping on a nearby stage, cataclysmically crooning out tales of girls forgotten, parents waved bye-bye, and a quick shift into fifth down the road to oblivion. Y’know – KICKS!

Foot hiked and rarin’ to buck, stands 6’3” singer/guitarist Marty Larson-Xu, a dandy fop with dance steps and scarves snazzier than any in Steven Tyler’s oeuvre. He is backed by a band that simply slays, with no irony baloney (if maybe a little ham on their rye). Begun as they were barely gripping their high school diplomas, it was obvious this Eugene, OR quad-piece possessed raw rock smarts beyond their years. Groovy grave-robbing rockers (“Dead Man’s March,” “Soldier’s Fortune”) get smooched by acoustic-led shufflers (“Three Goddamns,” “Shut Your Eyes”). Strong songwriting for sure proves these guys must’ve jumped straight out their mum’s gut clutching the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St. in one hand and the MC5’s High Times in the other, with their dirty toenails painted pink.

Constant prodding from Gearhead Records finally led to The High School Sessions EP. Armed with this fresh arsenal of songs, the band began playing more around the west coast, sharing stages with the Donnas, Hunches, New Bomb Turks, Kill Radio, and more, sharpening their slinky glam punk. Taking a quick break from touring, the Soldiers hit the studio once again to record The Weak Blame the Strong EP, which absolutely bleeds with hard-won chops. Usually coy Evan Seroffsky now brandishes his bass like a bayonet. Drummer Oliver Brown beats with eyes shut, hands a blur. New guitarist Kevin Sciou, who came all the way from France, rounds out the band’s full sound. Everything has continued to grow bigger and groovier, the band screamingly defending their purpose in first single “Anthem” – “We are the last of the Rock’n’Roll Soldiers…. We tell it like it is!” Marty is always more tent-revival rabble-rouser than finger-pointing preacher. “Everybody’s Gotta Live” is all handclap fun and “Flag Song” makes like a swishy AC/DC. “Funny Little Feeling” is the best song you’ve yet to encode in your craw right next to “Satisfaction.”

East West Records has now stepped in to scrunch up those two vinyl-only Gearhead EPs into The Two EP’s CD. Throw it in your stereo and leave your tired notions of rock’s demise in the dust. Too young to care, the Rock’n’Roll Soldiers slam shots down on their scratched Stones’ CDs, wink and nod to their classic punk faves, and point the whole crowd out the door and towards the grand ballroom of ass-shake ecstasy down at the end of lonely street.

Do you also would like to share your opinion? If so, please register or login here.

Tags

Details

Tracklisting

Rock N Roll Soldiers - Two EP's