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The American city of Detroit, Michigan has been in the news quite a bit these last few years. The urban decay and financial woes have often overshadowed the city’s proud history as both a center of American industrial progress and a ground-zero for some fine rock’n’roll. As I write this review, the city is embroiled in a controversy over the legality of its recent declaration of bankruptcy, filed mere days ago.<\/p>\n
Against that backdrop, minor music legend Deniz Tek<\/strong> has released the gritty Detroit<\/em>, the fourth full-length released under his own name (he has some albums and EPs as The Deniz Tek Group <\/strong>as well). Perhaps best known as the American front man of Australian proto\/pub rockers Radio Birdman<\/strong><\/a>, Tek’s voice and guitar are a no-nonsense pairing. And on Detroit<\/em>, that aesthetic is highlighted.<\/p>\n Tek’s vocals are recorded \u201cdry,\u201d that is, with a minimum of effects. The same is true for the guitars, and well, damn near everything else; this album (recorded in a pair of Montana studios) is very much designed to sound like a band onstage. One of few concessions to modernity is the use of synthesizers (coutesy of Ron Sanchez<\/strong> of Donovan’s Brain<\/strong><\/a>; Tek plays on their latest as well). Elsewhere it’s chiming ,wiry and fret-buzzing electric and acoustic guitars, straightforward Hammond B3, and a no-bullshit rhythm section backing.<\/p>\n Sometimes the band cranks it up to ten (or maybe it’s eleven<\/em>, seeing as the drummer is Ric Parnells<\/strong>, aka Spinal Tap<\/strong>‘s Mick Shrimpton<\/strong>), as on \u201cTwilight of the Modern Age.\u201d Other times Tek and his players take it more soft and contemplative, as on the country-flavored \u201cGrowing Dim.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan of Soup\u201d sounds a bit like vintage Replacements<\/strong><\/a> or Soul Asylum<\/strong>. \u201cGhost Town\u201d takes a left turn and heads in a blues direction, with Tek sounding a bit like Tom Verlaine<\/strong>. \u201cPerfect World\u201d is punctuated by wood block percussion, and is easily the most commercial-sounding track on Detroit<\/em>, but that (thank goodness) still doesn’t represent a concession to the mainstream. \u201cFalling\u201d has shades of Dream Syndicate<\/strong><\/a>, while \u201cLet Him Pay for That\u201d is a roadhouse rocker in the proud, Stones<\/strong>-y tradition. \u201cI’m All Right\u201d is another classic rocker, sort of a Meet the Beatles<\/em> meets Smithereens<\/strong><\/a>-with-harmonica. For meat-and-potatoes rock’n’roll with unapologetic punk attitude leavened by melody, Detroit<\/em> is a worthy musical destination.<\/p>\n
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