About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

On their major-label debut, Electric Sweat, these New Yorkers proved they knew a thing or two about dirty-ass rock 'n' roll. Here, they pounce on the opportunity to show they can clean up just as well. Thanks in part to the production work of the Matrix -- who have turned the knobs for Liz Phair and, yes, Avril Lavigne -- Alive & Amplified does have a noticeable pop sheen, one that's oddly reminiscent of latter-day Urge Overkill. That touchstone is evoked most clearly on the sensually shuffling "Love Bus" and the title track, which boasts a giddy falsetto chorus that shows off Sammy James Jr.'s split goofball/soulman personality. Clever, catchy riffs crop up at regular intervals -- "Legal High" is a sure bet to get lodged in the gray matter after a listen or two -- but the Mooneys have begun to take greater care in shaping them into fully realized songs. Heck, they've even mastered the power ballad, as evidenced by the over-the-top Bic-igniter "Naked Lady." The slickening that the Mooney Suzuki have gone through will undoubtedly elicit "tsk, tsk" noises from naysayers, but Alive & Amplified proves that rock 'n' roll can survive -- and thrive -- even when dressed to kill. David Sprague, Barnes & Noble

Customer Reviews

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