It's amazing how much a review for an album whether good or bad can still sway me as a music buyer. Sometimes I'll read about something new, either on the web or in the music press, and think that sounds interesting, and I'll go and buy it. Alternatively I'll read about something new, either on the web or in the music press, and think, "This reviewer really don't know shit from Shinola," and go out and buy it. Perhaps the most recent example of the latter is right here right now, with Danko Jones's sixth studio album 'Below The Belt'

Following a rather indifferent review of the Canadian's new thirteen track opus within the pages of a certain monthly UK music magazine, I um'ed and ah'ed and scratched the hairs on my chinny, chin, chin before realising "wait a minute here, this is Danko Jones muthafuckers". THE Danko Jones who first wowed me as support to Backyard Babies on their 'Making Enemies Is Good' Tour, THE Danko Jones who has also toured with the likes of The Bronx and Motorhead, THE Danko Jones who some at ÜRHQ think (rightly or wrongly) is the only person capable of fronting Thin Lizzy (sorry Ricky, no offence intended).

'Below The Belt' as you can probably tell was purchased with a knowing belief that it really could never be as middle of the road as the review I'd just read made it our to be, and boy was my instinct proved correct. This album is the sound of the trio (drummer Dan Cornelius and bassist John 'JC' Calabrese joining the Dankster) taking their tunes to a whole new level. So what if you can hear a snippet of Kiss, AC/DC, Saxon or Misfits? When the band's frontman is possibly one of the biggest "real" music fans left playing today he's going to be pulling his influences from a huge gene pool and the tunes breathe because of this.

Take album opener 'I Think Bad Thoughts'; there's no fucking around, it's straight into the tune, and what a brooding stomper of a tune it is. You get the clear image of Danko stooped into his mic, sweating and grinning like a madman, as he blurts "I'll admit it I've done a few things that I shouldn't be proud of" and all that with less than a ten seconds up on the CD player. It really is deliciously dirty stuff. 

'Active Volcanoes' and 'Tonight Is Fine' meanwhile are the types of songs that used to grace albums like 'Destroyer' and 'Powerage', finely cut and hones to perfection, whilst 'Magic Snake' is just old school breakneck speed classic Danko.

If I were to single out 'Had Enough' as my standout track here, that would not exactly be doing the rest of the album the justice it deserves, but when a band resurrects the spirit of the dearly departed Danny Frye in a track that certainly deserves a mention..

There really isn't a 'Below The Belt' (groan) track within the main eleven tracks on this album, with 'Full Of Regret', 'Like Dynamite' and 'Apology Accepted' all taking the grab you by the throat work ethnic of the band's live show and turning it up to max. Okay so I hear you saying eleven tracks? You said it was a thirteen-track album? Well, it is, if you have the digipack version of the album that adds the slightly weaker cuts 'Guest List Blues' and 'Rock N Roll Proletariat' to the end of an otherwise blistering return to form (2008's 'Never Too Loud' really didn't deliver like this baby).

So, I guess the lesson of this story is that although a good review is deemed important, a bad/indifferent review can also be as equally important in provoking the listener to go out and prove the reviewer wrong. I'll just finish by saying that if you don't get what 'Below The Belt' is all about then you obviously don't like or in fact understand rock music.... This is essential shit Über Röckers, go out and buy it now!!!!!

http://www.myspace.com/dankojones