Alright Junior
Inhibition
Reviewed by: Geno Thackara
Wait long enough and everything old comes around again. As we all know, the usual cycle is somewhere around twenty years. The good news about that lately has been the disappearance of that godawful ’80s nostalgia trend. Of course that inevitably meant making way for the next wave of resurgences – hello again, Soundgarden and Veruca Salt – which at least means a refreshing change, even if it sadly still leaves us a decade away from a return to Firefly.
Anyway. If you draw a line from, say, Ozzy Osbourne through Pearl Jam and Queens of the Stone Age, you’ll end up today pointing straight toward bands like Philly’s own Alright Junior. On Inhibition the self-described “modern alt trio” specializes in a familiar strain of rock and roll, rock and roll, part alternative and part nu-grunge, which offers more than a hint of ’90s Seattle to keep that two-decade cycle going. The guitar riffs are heavy without becoming metal and the playing throughout is nice and tight. The rhythm section grooves with rock-solid thuds while Jace Miller drawls at the mike like Jerry Cantrell crossed with Axl Rose.
The band offers a decent variety for a five-song EP that doesn’t quite clock twenty minutes. The chugging “Over You Over Me” could stand to be a bit less repetitive, but they recover quickly and it’s all strong from there on. The most successful highlight “In Pain” is a driving shuffle borrowing from the nastier side of the blues. They sway through the middle in “Hold On to My Breath Again” with slower rocking strains and very few words, while “Into the Sun” rounds things out with an almost homey Southern flavor before the heaviness kicks in again. It’s also worth paying attention to the lyrics, which interestingly hint at random picturesque snapshots rather than spelling things out. Overall it’s an encouraging teaser. I’m guessing the title is meant as something of a joke – this is a group full of energy, having fun making noise and not sounding inhibited in the least.
Rating: Bad-Ass
