A local establishment for years now, Matt Weirick (aka Archie Blowers, nee Matt of Matt and the Castronaughts) has a knack for crafting dirty/fun, bluesy rave-ups with just enough heart to separate himself from the blues-rock pack. His latest incarnation, backed by the Swingin' Angels, pulls out all the stops and adds some unexpected and satisfying twists.

      Whole Lot Better, the Angels' latest, manages to combine disparate elements of roughshod blues, rock, and even gospel. The short record gets right to the point on the opener "Don't Wanna Be Lonely," which comes barreling out of the speakers from note one. The song's punky drive is matched by the fervor in Arch's alternately bellowing and shuddering vocal. Likewise, "City Full of Holes" continues on the first song's momentum with a Bo Diddley beat and some raucous testifying. It culminates in a sweeping buildup, akin to running to the top of a steep hill and suddenly realizing the other side is a cliff. The guitars are dirty, the bass is dirty, the drums' the entire production sounds like it was recorded with the needles pushed into the red. And it's a good thing in this case; it only adds to the immediacy and urgency of the songs. The honky-tonk feel of "It Might be the Lord" (featuring Archie preaching to the by-now converted) sounds for all the world like Dylan hijacking the Stones' Exile on Main Street sessions and bending "Sweet Virginia" to his own ends. Archie warns, "The devil never really leaves our heads," but reassures us by the song's manic conclusion rolls around: "Mama don't you worry / Your boy, he's gonna be fine / he eats corn flakes with the Lord." The brief, gritty groove of "Lord Gave Me a Hole" barely lasts as long as it takes to read the song's title before The Angels close out the disc by sounding a hopeful note on the title track, where Archie intones, "I'm like a little boy on his Daddy's knee."

      Not to read too much into the record, but it plays out like a short-story version of a concept album. The six brief tunes seem to form a coherent story arc, from disillusionment and disorientation, to fighting demons, to finally seeing some daylight. The uncompromising and earthy production (the record was tracked locally at Off The Cuff Studio) really helps to bolster the weight of the songs as well. Bear witness to the raw gospels of the Swingin' Angels, and visit www.youregoingup.com for more information.

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