W
hat does it take to make it big in the music business today?
Writing an epic album? A sizzling live show? A good record deal?
A good beating? Well? maybe.
After Jason Stollsteimer was bludgeoned by the White Stripes' Jack
White, the entire rock world was introduced to another Detroit
garage revival band, The Von Bondies . Hailing
from the same city as Jack and Meg White, the Von Bondies have
a little different style. The guitars are more overdriven and fuzzy;
more powerful and fuller than their two piece neighbors. But the
Bondies have lived in the shadows of their superstar citymates
until recently. With the weird melee in the books, and the assault
charges filling the rock gossip column, the Von Bondies have perfectly
timed their sophomore effort Pawn Shoppe Heart . Can it
ride the hype? We'll see.
As the first song begins, a distorted whining guitar kicks in,
and a marching beat hammers in with the backing ?ahh ahh ahh? vocals
to get your head bobbing. ?No Regrets? is a good opener and could
easily be a good live opener as well. Just a short 2:34 long, the
song announces the return of what may currently be Detroit 's hardest
rocking band. The first single from Pawn Shoppe Heart is ?Cmon
Cmon?. The song is almost nothing like the Bondies I remember from
their debut album Lack Of Communication . Jason is singing
and I can understand all of the words. This is damn radio friendly,
and at just track three, I can see the Bondies blowing up in 2004.
The album continues to impress as it goes on. Guitarist Marcie
Bolan and bassist Carrie Smith get into the vocals on ?Not That
Social? and the song has a retro feel that few ?retro? bands have
been able to capture.
From start to finish, there is no lack of energy in Pawn Shoppe
Heart . The record is genuinely fun to listen to and is
a thousand times better produced than Lack Of Communication .
And it is very easy on the ears. The Von Bondies are using all
of their style and resources to create a driving, rocking, and
diverse album that may have them raking in the album sales this
year.
My guess? The next time Jack White has a chance to punch Jason
Stollsteimer there will probably
be a lot more people in the audience.
