Arts & Entertainment
 

Von Bondies keep Detroit on the map

Even without Jack White, one band in Motor City holds onto garage-rock's return

by Bridget Brown
The Daily Cougar

If a band from Detroit saves rock 'n' roll, it won't be one that dresses like a candy cane. It's pretty much true that the White Stripes started the garage-rock revival (if they didn't, not many people were paying attention beforehand), and they also brought some dignity back onto the radio -- in the meantime, unintentionally giving a free ride for Jack and Meg parodies into the mainstream.

Roaring down a different road out of Motor City -- easily flattening the sound of the radio-friendly -- are our heroes, The Von Bondies. The same Detroit influence that fueled The Murder City Devils is present, but there's nothing too new or daring. Forget the fact that Jack White actually produced their first album, what sets the Von Bondies apart from other one-trick pony garage acts is consistency. From the first "ahh-ahh-ahh" of "No Regret" to the last righteous blues riff of the title track, Pawn Shoppe Heart is a great American rock 'n' roll album.

Frontman Jason Stollsteimer's presence is undeniable even if his lyrics are sometimes less than credible, "I'm a broken man / This here's my broken band / From a broken land / We call Detroit City," he wails on "Broken Man." Don Blum's drums on that one propel the song like a freight train, and Marci Bolen's guitars are so hot you could fry an egg on them.

"Come on, Come on" introduces bassist Carrie Smith's vocals behind Stollsteimer's "Was it safe to say / Was it right to leave / Will I ever learn," but on the Pixies-esque "Tell Me What You See" (like the Pixies) her monotone voice begins to overshadow. But by the time "Not That Social" hits, a song which Smith sings lead vocals, Stollsteimer's seductive crooning on "Been Swank" and "Mairead" is left in the dust. Of course its not hard to sound great singing "Not that Social's" bitingly clever lyrics, "I've been hinting for a long, long time / you'll never make it this is the end/ you're not that social, just a good drinker."

Chant song "The Fever" and "Crawl Through the Darkness" feature Smith's and Stollsteimer's voices complementing each other in an awesome, almost conversational style that seems genuine.

The Von Bondies aren't going to be the saviors of anything important. But, since record labels have made sure that the garage renaissance isn't going to die out anytime soon, we might as well enjoy it with a good band that's at least driving in the right direction.

The Von Bondies

Pawn Shoppe Heart

Sire Records

The verdict: Move over, Rover, and let Jason take over.


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