Cincinnati CityBeat : 04/12/2006 : Short Takes

Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders -- Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders (Thrive)

Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders -- Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders

What's the last thing a drummer says before he's fired? "Let's try one of my songs." That's an old musician joke that most assuredly doesn't apply to Foo Fighters beatmaster Taylor Hawkins, whose eponymous debut with his new side project, the Coattail Riders, is jammed to the rafters with classic Hard Rock, spacey Folk Rock and an underlying Pop/Prog theme that hearkens back to the halcyon days of the '70s. Hawkins deftly funnels his contemporary experiences through the same Beatles/Bowie/T. Rex/Mott screen that Nash Kato used so effectively with Urge Overkill. Hawkins' raspy vocals are reminiscent of Kato and Kings X's Doug Pinnick and give the songs an urgency that is matched by Hawkins' bandmates, bassist Chris Cheney and transgenerational guitarist Gannin, who can shred and riff with abandon while offering equal shades of Pop subtlety. For fans of the Foos, Hawkins' solo debut is a no-brainer; for fans of '70s-infused Modern Rock, Hawkins offers an equal guarantee. (BB) Grade: B+

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Previously in Short Takes

Short Takes THE FLAMING LIPS -- AT WAR WITH THE MYSTICS (WARNER BROTHERS) Edited By Mike Breen (April 5, 2006)
Short Takes PUBLIC ENEMY -- REBIRTH OF A NATION (GUERRILLA FUNK) Edited By Mike Breen (April 5, 2006)
Short Takes DR. JOHN -- RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: LIVE AT TIPITINA'S MARDI GRAS '89 (HYENA) Edited By Mike Breen (April 5, 2006)
more...

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