Peawees - This is Rock 'N' Roll CD

Somehow, in the hands of these punk-rock Italians, all those played-out Pogues, Clash, and Social Distortion ideas sound like they can break windows again. This stuff's exciting, raw, and heartbreakingly melodic. Huge chants and throaty vocals on "Insane", the flawless "Larry's Dreams", "My First Problem"- and hell, pretty much everything else-cast these unbeatable anthems in a thrilled punch-drunk stagger. The lyrics sketch a triumphant lyrical outline of punk-loser aesthetic, beating the streets on personal freedom and not fitting in. At the same time, these guys are rock'n'roll in a real elemental way. They peel out oil-slick garage rock guitar solos, add shuffling Jerry Lee-style piano on a cover of Elvis' "Burning Love" and paint grinding rockers with crystal, choir-boy backing vocals. Like much great punk, it's disguised simplicity, sneaking crafty song structures into snap-tight sing-alongs. Maybe if the average punk starts writing in Italian, they can come up with stuff this good.