RIYL: Gin Blossoms, Train, Robert Cray Band
Rocksteady is the title of the eighth studio album from Big Head Todd & the Monsters since 1989, but it also serves as the mantra for the Colorado band. Although 1993’s Sister Sweetly was spectacular, the rest of their records have been good efforts with plenty of pleasant moments. Nothing they have released since Sister Sweetly has approached that masterpiece. Rocksteady joins a very workmanlike catalog, complete with a gem or two along with a forgettable song here and there. The album sails nicely through 11 tracks and acts as a sorbet, nicely cleansing the palate and leaving an agreeable taste behind.
The usual blend of pop, light jazz and bluesy riffs fill the record while the production is pristine as Todd Park Mohr’s voice and guitar take center stage as usual. The record stretches a bit in the blues direction when Big Head channels Howlin’ Wolf on “Smokestack Lightnin’.” This is nothing new for the band, who memorably dueted with Johnny Lee Hooker on “Boom Boom” from 1997’s Beautiful World. The Monsters cover the Stones on a light-as-air version of “Beast of Burden” that lacks any kind of bite. Mohr’s lyrics about Muhammad Ali on a record released in 2010 seem oddly out of date, making the track of the same name seem dated. The record ends on a high note with the eloquent “Fake Diamond Kind,” which contains the best lyrics on the record and seems to stay in the listener’s head well after the disc has finished playing. (Big Head Todd & The Monsters 2010)
