WhatzUp

Transmobile
Between the Rooms
by Zachary Boyd Smith

If ever there was a band that screamed “90s rock!” Between the Rooms screamed it louder. For starters, singer/guitarist Kris Graft plays a Fender Jag-Stang and has Frank Black’s yelp down pat. Wielding King Cobain’s seafoam green Excalibur is a gutsy choice for anyone, let alone a fella who seems to have marinated for some time in the juices of a bygone era of music. And drummer/vocalist Philip Kurut makes you long for the days when a rock drummer did just that: rocked his kit to the breaking point. An admittedly lazy comparison can be made to the powerhouse Dave Grohl, but here’s the rub: you can make comparisons to the forerunners that the men in this band are clearly influenced by all day long, but none of it matters because of the ace song-craft and pure rock fury they unleash.

Transmobile, the duo’s debut album, is quite excellent. It grips you. It rocks. Hard. It warrants comparisons to many 90s greats and heavies such as Hum, the Pixies, the Toadies, Local H, the Butthole Surfers and, of course, Nirvana. Again, whatever. These guys borrow without ever seeming to steal from their influences. “Blue Gold,” for instance, borrows its melody from Nirvana’s “Negative Creep” but never feels like it’s trying to be "Negative Creep." Instead, it's a jarring song that laughs in your face.

“Rebuild” is probably the most radio-friendly song on the entire album and also one of its highlights. Graft’s choice of melody on this track is unmatched on the rest of the disc, as he cries out, “I found a weakness! I found a weakness!” to anyone within earshot.

Let’s talk hard hittin’ and Kurut; the two will soon be synonymous. “Nickel & Dime” is probably his best work on the album. It begins with a bit of humor from the man himself (one of a few humorous tidbits strewn about the album) and then proceeds to not let up for the rest of its duration. I believe the duo thought the track was so intense that they had to include what can best be described as a ZZ Top guitar break before cutting loose and letting us have it. The track’s pacing, change-ups and sheer brute force would make Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age) proud.

“Fed” is a number written from the perspective of Gizmo, the Mogwai from Gremlins. Seriously. And where other bands might stoop to parody or in-your-face references, it’s actually so well written that if you weren’t a fan of the film(s) you'd think it was a clever metaphor for some rage issues the lyricist might have (and perhaps does). “You didn't listen to my advice / Now the house is in flames / Let me play in the fountain of life / I'm not the one to blame.”

Other notable tracks are the album's final two songs, “Bamboo Cage,” a live favorite, and “Famous Joe.” With Transmobile, the duo have made a big, loud statement to the local scene, raising the bar for how much ruckus two people can make (I’m looking at you, Left Lane Cruiser). Packed with monster riffs, masterful percussive gymnastics, near perfect song structure and a sense of humor both smart and self-deprecating that seems to be missing from most of today’s hard rock acts.

You can snag your copy of Transmobile as soon as June 1 at your local Wooden Nickel Music store for $9.99. Or, and this comes highly recommended, you can witness their fantastic live show at their CD release party at Lucky’s Terrapin Grill on Saturday June 2 with another duo, The Freezing Scene. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. I’ll see you there. I’ll be the one up front begging to be their bassist.