White Light, White Snow, White Heat...
Clark Paull | Murder City | 04/27/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"About three years ago, eggheaded researchers in Massachusetts determined that severe-weather months present an increased risk for the development of schizophrenia and while you're free to draw your own conclusions, the Midnight Evils hail from Minnesota, where it gets pretty damn cold, and play with a twitching, cracked fury that at times leaves you wondering who signed the release form to free them from their straightjackets and padded cells long enough for a field trip to the studio. The bluesy guitar noodling which kicks off opening track "Bad Machine" is a smokescreen because as soon as you turn your head, someone in the background shouts "play some Skynyrd," and the next thing you know picks are running up guitar strings, drums are getting (...) knocked (...), and singer Jonny Evans (now apparently amicably split from the band) is foaming at the mouth about his baby who inspired the song. Forget what I said earlier about drawing your own conclusions - the Midnight Evils are flat-out nuts (either that or over-caffeinated), straining at the leash and at the stool after being cooped up for eight or nine months of the year, and blowing their collective wad on this revved-up epic wonder. "Straight 'Til Morning" is packed to bursting with buzzing and humming wattage and a storm of white-lit feedback and you'll grow roots sitting around waiting for these guys to come up for air. Oh, to be this young and full of (...) vinegar again... Never pretending to be anything else, songs like "Dirt Demon," "Ain't Got Time For Love," and "5th Avenue Blues" are more vehicles for the Midnight Evils to howl at the moon than actual songs. Producer Tim Kerr has rightfully seen fit to bring the guitars of Stevie (Cooper) and Vandy (Brian Vanderwerf) way up in the mix, finding a happy median somewhere in that black hole between the power-packed boneshake of Angus and Malcolm Young and the festering sonic squalor of Ron Asheton, and the rhythm section of drummer Jesse Tomlinson and bassist Curan Folsom miraculously manage to keep pace while at the same time prevent this bullet train from derailing. The bottom line is there's nothing fancy about the Midnight Evils' plan to grab the rawk by the throat and remove it from life support - if you're reading this chances are you'll agree the simple combination of drums, bass, guitars, and amps turned up to "11" never go out of style - and these wide-eyed harpies from the Land of 10,000 Lakes ram their vision home with all the subtlety of a bump of cocaine, banging, clanging, and screeching their way into your heart. Leave your snow shoes and parka at the door."
Natty Ice and Camel Lights
Jason Behnke | San Diego, CA | 01/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great band out of Minnesota. The energy they give off is amazing. These guys are the real thing. I don't really know what to say besides, just buy it."
