Straight outta Cleveland comes Back In The USSA, the debut disk from
Prisoners. They seem to be getting labeled as a garage band, taking elements from the mid 60’s Brit bands (Stones, Kinks, etc) that so many middle American “nuggets” bands hybridized.
However, Back In The USSA (a neat twist on the Beatles copping a mid-west American (Chuck Berry’s) song title, is firmly rooted on the “house of Westerberg”. Jason Look’s vocals have that “old before his time” world weariness that The Replacements’ leader singer had (especially on the title track). Due to the lo-fi production, much of the album sounds like demo’s circa the Replacements’ post Bob Stinson “Pleased To Meet Me” era.
Highlights include the rave-up (and wonderfully titled) “Teenage Shatner” and “You’re Going Down”; which has echoes of Dramarama and The Flaming Groovies.
All in all, not a bad first effort.
http://www.myspace.com/clevelandprisoners
