Sometimes, reviews are easy. So, to that end:
“Guess who’s back? Me, motherfuckers.”
And just in case you still needed it reiterated: “I came here to fuck shit up and have a good time.”
For the avoidance of doubt, the opening quote is the very first line on “Electric Sounds” from a track called “Guess Who’s Back,” and the second is from “Good Time,” the second track that “Electric Sounds” has.
Both prove, utterly unequivocally, that Danko Jones are back and ready to “fuck shit up” and have a good time.
And to be honest, the review could, if it wanted to, stop there because Danko, the band, and Danko, the man, are brilliant at distilling rock ‘n’ roll to its brass tacks.
Girls, partying, and the music itself – all of it is on display in these 11 songs.
It’s one long celebration. The Clutch-type grooves of the title cut offer the thought that they’re going to “smash a thousand guitars,” but more than that, it expresses a sheer love for the music. Elsewhere, the chugging “Get High” is as catchy as can be, and you know what it’s a celebration of, don’t you?
“Stiff Competition” struts. Hell, the damn thing duckwalks. “She’s My Baby” believes his girlfriend is fitter than yours (as well as featuring Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies doing his best Andy Scott impression).
You see, there’s an alternate reality where this level of consistency makes Danko Jones arena headliners. Not many bands can top what they’ve done in the last decade since they upped their game. They’re up there with Volbeat in terms of pure rock adrenaline rush – and the mention of them is deliberate, given “Eye For An Eye” sounds just like Denmark’s finest.
The best bands make it sound easy. It can’t be as simple as they make it look to produce sleazy rock ‘n’ roll as “I Like It” makes it seem; otherwise, everyone would be doing it.
It’s even easier for a review to be lazy and almost treat Danko Jones as a solo project, but a big part of the last decade has been John Calabrese (Bass), who was a founding member, and Rich Knox (Drums), who both make melodic brilliance like “All Night Long” happen. It almost passes for a ballad here, certainly up against stuff like “What Goes Around” or “Shake Your City,” which ends the album the only way it could: high on life and on a stage, playing loud music.
There’s a line from Danko himself in the notes that the record company sent, and it says simply: “You can expect zero surprises.” While there’s a bit of that on “Electric Sounds,” the point more pertinently is this: if it was as easy to do as Danko Jones make it look, then everyone would be doing it.
This is album number 11, and it needs to be turned up one louder.
Rating: 9/10
