Music Reviews

Curses Gern Blandsten Music •••• Sound ••••

Jersey City's favorite bad boys return with Curses, which grabs 1970s rock by the balls and juices it up with hardcore punk (the band's original love), thrashing metal, and bluesy swagger. On "Burn the Masters," Ralph Cuseglio sings like Paul Stanley dipped in Wild Turkey, while the bone-breaking drums and wanton ax work of "Young Yellers" must have made producer Dave Grohl pop a woody. But the knockout punches are in "Clutch the Pearls," which blares with MC5 bluster before slipping us a tongue-in-cheek mock-live drum solo and wanker guitars. Curses is a cock-rock dream come true.

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