A Great Blues Album, But Not Much More

Named after a 1967 riot that turned so violent that the National Guard were sent in, Detroit Rebellion churns out a mean mix of blues and garage rock. Despite the fact that singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeff Toste is not actually from Detroit, he and drummer Micaiah Castro produce a sound so blue-collar and rough around the edges that it fits right into the city’s landscape.

That style is showcased extensively on their new record, The Man. This record takes the genre ‘garage rock’ literally — they recorded it live in someone’s basement. It’s evident this is the case in the album’s raw production. Fuzzy guitars, lo-fi drums and distant vocals make it seem more like a live record than a studio cut.

The music is exactly what the band claims it is- ‘no-frills, modern day blues music.’ Unfortunately, that’s also all it is. Yes, the songs are very soulful and straightforward, but they’re also nearly impossible to distinguish from one another. In other words, the finished product itself is solid, but there are no standout songs that break from the pack.

But this is hardly a negative review — there are plenty of positives as well. Toste’s guitar playing is sinfully nasty, and the riffs, though similar to one another, are hardly lacking in skill. His vocals are expressive and, well, bluesy, and serve as a good vessel for his descriptive and narrative lyrics. All the while, drummer Castro is grooving along, laying down slinky beats that allow Toste to really jam over. They create a remarkably big sound despite the fact that the band is just the two of them, and thanks to the down-tuning of Toste’s guitar there’s no need for a bass.

Despite the songs’ relative similarity there are a few cool moments, such as the frenetic drumming of “The Man,”  the eerie diminished-chord shuffle of “Dark Lady”, and the driving, punk-y feel of closing track “The Spy.” Don’t expect any big hooks or polished production, that’s not what the blues is about. Detroit Rebellion have recorded a great blues album, and while it may be lacking some in variety it makes up for with muscle and grit. The band might not actually be from Detroit but with music such as this, they’d be welcomed with open arms.