Rambos - Rock and Roll Monsters

Sometimes when I hear a crappy Nickelback song off in the distance, I wonder, "How did 'rock' get so convoluted?" I still don't know the answer to that question but I do know that Rambos understand the importance of simplicity and rock on their debut album Rock and Roll Monsters.

"Terrorize," the album opener, sets the tone for the rest of the songs. It's fast-paced and the chorus, sung by the whole band, is very catchy. "We've got an evil muse that tells us to terrorize," they sing. This fact appears to be true throughout the rest of the album's dark lyrics. The songs themselves are relatively simple but that doesn't mean they aren't powerful rock beats. Not only can you headbang to them, you could possibly dance to them at the right venue. "Burn down the disco," they sing on "Radio."

"Chuck Taylors" is an observation that everyone, regardless of race or gender, wears Converse shoes. Taking a break from faster songs, "Vampire" is a beautiful duet that continues with the monster theme without sounding like Stephanie Meyer's Twilight. "Nothing To Say" seems to stomp around without letting anything stop it. The dark/monster theme extends past the lyrics and into the entire band with the rough guitar riffs and crashing drums.

Rambos understand that rock and roll does not need to be over-produced with a thousand guitar pedals and deep, philosophical lyrics. It just needs to be mean, fun, and, you know, rock. Rock and Roll Monsters comes out March 6th on Grape Juice Records.