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TURBONEGRO - Retox

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Norway’s TURBONEGRO are back with yet another hard-on inducing album of feel good rock ’n roll. While Retox is hardly a departure from the band’s post-Apocalypse Dudes past, the album is certainly the grittiest of the new era and the most seamless since the band’s reformation four years ago. TURBONEGRO sounds to have sharpened up by forgetting about trying to out-do the magic of Apocalypse Dudes. They focus on throwing down some good riffs with catchy hooks while topping it off with humorously offending lyrics. Songs are sweet and to-the-point, never exceeding the four-minute mark (except for closing track “What is Rock?!”). The lack of pretension displayed by the lo-fi, non-black album art with scribbled liner notes even helps to play down pomp and expectations. TURBONEGRO kick up the intensity with the quick and punky, “Welcome to the Garbage Dump,” and the album’s most Ass Cobra-tempo’d number, “No, I’m Alpha Male.” At the same time, the album is awash with hooks and melodies. Lead single “Do You Do You Dig Destruction” is a sing-along radio/arena-worthy anthem, and “Boys from Nowhere” is splashed with an almost 80’s-like feel. Retox is bookended with the killer intro riff of “Welcome to the Garbage Dump” and the goofy lyrics of “What is Rock?!” where singer Hank von Helvete quips “No, I’m not talking about Canadian producer and fifth METALLICA Bob Rock you fool.” The band’s precision and musical maturity are everything we’ve seen from Scandinavian Leather and Party Animals. But most importantly the cheekiness and rock ’n roll IQ the band is known for are well intact. Retox is a instantly enjoyable offering. (Cooking Vinyl)