The Mekons

During their decade-plus of changing lineups and shifting styles, England's mercurial
Mekons have offered offbeat variations on everything from primal punk to drunken
country laments. Despite its prosaic title, The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll continues the tradition
of unpredictable behavior with a witty blend of screaming raveups and spooky ballads. In a
better world, this exhilarating major-label debut would spark an epidemic of Me... More >

If you love rock and roll (which is possible even if you slum the spelling with apostrophes), but don't think Rock and Roll (much less Rock 'n' Roll) a propitious title right now, you could love this album, which takes their love-hate relationship with America to the bank. Musically, it's rock and roll despite the fiddles sawing louder than ever, almost as Clashlike as the promo claims, with Steve Goulding bashing away louder than ever too. Lyrically, in great song after great song, rock and roll is devil's-breath perfume, capitalism's "favourite boy child," a commodity like sex, a log to throw on the fire, a "shining path back to reconquer Americay." Are they implicated? Of course. Do they love it? Yes and no. (Grade: A)