The Rockford Mules - The Last Camaro (self-released)

The main point of a single, especially to us writers and publicists, is generally to advertise the next, more prolonged release looming on the horizon. Unromantic, hardly rock and roll, but sorry, that is just the way it is. But, anyone who heard “Leave The Dirt On,” its staccato riffs, its razor-wire guitars, its immediate groove, its Ram Jam-esque salvos, could not help but want to know more, which proves my point. The “more” in question has just arrived in the form of the EP The Last Camaro.

And so, kicking off this five-track offering with that aforementioned slice of grit and grind seems both perfect and a bit of a naughty tease. Why? Because as good as the track is…make that great as it is…it is the new stuff we want to get to. But fear not, that comes along soon enough in the form of “Sweet Highway Mile,” a solid and sassy rock onslaught that takes thei band’s inherent bluesy nature and raises it to industrial strength, rock ‘n’ roll deliveries. “Gringo” is the sort of song that looks at you straight in the eye and demands that you move, sway, dance, boogie, flip your whig, cut a rug, throw some shapes, or whatever the cool kids are calling it today.

And after “Honeydripper’s” snake-hipped sonic moves and slinky swagger, the album rounds off with the title track. If you think that “The Rockford Mules” were all about the punchy riffs and the heads-down-no-nonsense-mindless-boogie, this swansong, a sonic sign off built from space and cascading piano lines, anthemic drums and musical understatements, pathos and poignancy, will make you think again.

Wow, what a ride, and what a band. Quite possibly my most exciting musical find of the year. (And they are not even paying me to say that, so it must be true!) Why did it take me so long? Who cares? I’m on board now, and that is all that matters.