Before the “Garage Rock Revival”, and before the Darkness and Jet or whoever, Local H used to pretty much be the coolest band on the radio. Back around ’96 or so, when I think Korn were the biggest band on the planet (Christ, can you imagine?), they were always good for a funny, rockin’ powerpop song to alleviate the tedium- think about it, and you’ll remember “Eddie Vedder” (“If I was Eddie Vedder/Would you like me any better?”) and “Bound for the Floor” (And ya just don’t get it/you keep it copasetic…”). For a buncha rattle-guitar-ed brats from Chicago (and a two-man band, too, way before it was cool!) Local H managed to sound like they fuckin’ BELONGED on the radio. Like it was their job, or something. Then, I guess they blew it, or something, cuz the last thang rock radio spinned by ‘em was that “Oh Yeah” song from a cuppla years back. I liked that song, tho, cuz it’s was almost entirely made up of one punk riff and this line: “Oh yeah, all right, oh yeah, all right, oh yeah!” And that’s just the kinda dumb fun I like to hear on the radio. Anyway, here they come, screamin’ back into mainstream (or so they're hoping), with a whole pack of kinda funny, kinda rocking songs. There’s one slam-bang hit on here (it’s the single, natch), an impossibly catchy arena-rock anthem called “California Songs” (“I know you love LA, but there’s nothing more to say/Please, no more California songs/ and fuck New York, too”) that most definitely deserves the relentless airplay it’s sure to get. Otherwise, it’s a pleasant enuff grab-bag of buzz, bark, and melody, but the only other standout, really, is the title track, which sounds kinda like Steely Dan playing a Replacements song. And it’s (sorta) about PJ Soles. She was Riff Randel in Rock n Roll High School. So, ya know, that’s cool. Dunno how well the dynamic duo are gonna do now that the radio thinks it’s so fuckin’ hip all of a sudden, but my guess is they’ll be back on the hit parade as soon as this one lands.
<br><br>
BTW: No, that’s not the cover, that’s PJ and her tits. The cover’s not available yet. Neither is the record, ‘til April. So why am I telling you about it now? I dunno. Maybe I’ll be busy in April.
<br><br>
http://www.sleazegrinder.com/review_2-4localh.htm