POST NO. 39: AN AUDITORY CLEANSING

Break out the Q-tips, cause today's post is about Champaign-Urbana's The Living Blue. We've all heard about how sophomore albums are a bitch. But in the case of The Living Blue, it's the junior album that's tossed them into a pressure cooker. Fire, Blood, Water finds The Living Blue (formerly known as The Blackouts) jumping from a tiny indie to an established indie in Minty Fresh. Higher expectations, national tours, and a real press push will nullify any of the band's previous excuses: it's time to walk the walk dudes.

And strut they do! Hear the switchblade staccato lead guitar lick on "Serrated Friend," which sounds as if The Pretty Things got hijacked by G.G. Allin. And then check out the three-minute mark of the same song, as the group rides a crest of thumping toms into an acid-psych break that would do Dead Meadow proud. If you like your dirty bluesbreakers to have a sensitive side, too, see "Greenthumb," which is reminiscent of The Cynics when they try to sound like a rough and ready jangle-folk version of The Byrds.

Some music journalists -- hell, most of 'em -- can't tell the difference between The Hives, The Strokes, and The Mooney Suzuki: it's all "garage rock." But real fans of the genre know that there's more varieties of garage rock than flavors at a Baskin-Robins. The Living Blue are out on the fringe, assembling their influences -- ranging from psych and freakbeat to Television and '80s SST -- into something unique by today's standards. Listening to Fire, Blood, Water is like watching Blue Cheer fuck the brains outta Mudhoney. And it's HOT. Get your voyeur on:

The Living Blue - "Serrated Friend"

The Living Blue - "Greenthumb"

The Living Blue - "Wishlist"

Visit them on the web, but be sure to check them out live. Like any great garage rock band, they do their best work on stage, not in the studio. Over the next week, they'll be in Denver, Seattle, Portland, and the city of angels. Check out their site for more info.