The Eagle Has Landed

The mid 2000s were a weird time in music. At one end of the spectrum, you had scenester, post-hardcore run-off, slowly screaming its way past obscurity. In the middle, there were the more mainstream, pop-friendly indie vixens like Imogen Heap that made their way into your favorite CW soap operas. At the other end were the groups and individuals teeter-tottering the fine line of “buzz” and “hip” with no real sense of industry identity. Jesse Hughes and the Eagles of Death Metal had their legs planted firmly in both the “buzz” and “hip” category, but just couldn’t garner a specific fanbase. However, Hughes’s most recent act, Boots Electric, might just find its way into a certain demographic’s hearts: people who love fun.

Hughes release Honkey Kong is just that: 1 part honkey-tonk rock n’ roll and 1 part Donkey Kong synthedelica. Tracks like “Complexity” and “Boots Electric Theme” sound like Cobra Starship if Gabe Saporta tried a little harder to connect with the audience instead of just posing dance floor bravado. Halfway through the album, the popular “Phil Spector” kick-kick-kick-snare drum beat fits perfectly with this year’s So Cal sound a la Best Coast and Wavves. It’s not like Hughes is vying for pop relevance here; he just happened to do so.

“You”ll Be Sorry” and “Trippy Blob” are obvious nods to stoner rock slackers, Dr. Hook and Creedance Clearwater Revival. “You’ll Be Sorry” even launches, after an Animals-style organ solo, into a sweet Motown breakdown. Hughes must have had all of the fun a musician could have while writing these songs.

Despite what Hughes and fellow Eagles of Death Metal member have gone through in the past, the guy still manages to push fresh, exciting, music that sounds simply…effortless. When you’re pushing 40, maybe all you need is a 4/4 beat and a couple fun, life-assuring chords.