Search - Medicine Ball :: Fresh Ape

Just about every track on Fresh Ape is made of durable, can't-go-wrong stuff: good songs, smart arrangements, and rockin' grooves. To come up with their sound, Medicine Ball mine a rich alternative vein of the American rock tradition. On "Jet Black," vocal harmonies flesh out a psych-flavored melody as the band coasts along on a guitar riff that evokes the Television classic, "Glory." "Everything & Nothing" sports the rock & roll swagger of Big Star, and you can hear a little of Iggy Pop's snarl on the fired-up "Turning 31." The melancholy strains of country music color "Hit" and "Sicky Sweet," one of the album's standouts. This Rhode Island-based group's dedication to older styles recalls Brit veterans Bevis Frond; both bands manage to be almost completely free of contemporary influences without sounding glibly retro. Fresh Ape is a labor of rock love. --Fred Cisterna