It always seems best to start off a review with a clever little sentence to catch the reader's attention, especially when you don't have much to say about the band itself. Well, here you go: The Ankles really do kill themselves with this album. This four-piece has often been described as "drunken" rock, which I assume is a nice way of saying that lead singer Shawn Towey slurs all of his words. The whole album has that fuzzed out sound like when you turn your crappy speakers up just a little bit too loud.
There is a hum that overrides and gets in the way of what is laying beneath. Underneath the hum is mostly bland, plodding, repetitive guitar work.
There are a few catchy hooks and choruses buried underneath all the fuzz, like treasure for those who have the time to look. The Ankles are at their finest with "On Ice", although "Temper, Temper" and "The Little Dinosaurs" are pretty good also. The best that can be said is if you are looking for a carefree approach to rock in which enunciation, and clean production does not matter, then The Ankles' newest release is for you.
1.5/4
