ALBUM REVIEW: LJ SLEEZE - ‘DEAD OR ALIVE’
LJ Sleeze is a raucous southern punk rock band. Their new album, Dead or Alive, dropped in June courtesy of Dead Beat Records and Eight Ball Record$ and is an exhilarating blast of sweaty and bloodstained retro punk energy. The brainchild of Max Gottesman, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and fitness fanatic, LJ Sleeze’s latest release feels like a long-lost classic punk banger from the 1970s or early 1980s but executed with 21st-century precision and know-how.
The opening track, “Ain’t Easy Being Sleazy,” sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’s a foot-stomping two-and-a-half-minute jam that boasts some of the grimiest rock ‘n’ roll vibes these ears have heard in ages. Mr. Gottesman’s abrasive yet playfully inviting vocals sound like he truly lives the lifestyle Guns N Roses described on “Nightrain,” in other words, the dude sounds ultra sleazy. The album’s title track follows suit and is another catchy number that feels like a demented garage rock proto-punk tune, packed to the brim with booming drums, jangly keys, and some bitchin guitar solos.
Let the record show that LJ Sleeze isn’t afraid to throw curveballs at their audience. Blistering songs such as “Rock Bottom” barrel down the track like a runaway locomotive and feature a left-field but oh-so-appreciated saxophone solo from hell. At just a minute and a half long, this one feels like an express lane voyage into madness in all the right ways. The hooks in tracks like “Money” and “Rock & Roll Woman” reinforce what made classic punk bands like The Ramones influential. It wasn’t the band’s technical prowess that wowed fans around the globe; it was their energy and catchy freaking songs. Listen to either of these LJ Sleeze tunes and try not to shout along almost instantly.
For being a meat-and-potatoes school punk-inspired record, LJ Sleeze seems to enjoy adding flourishes of other genres and sounds whenever possible. The wailing guitars on “I’m Trouble” and “Don’t Care” have tinges of surf rock vibes to them, while “High Time” creeps along like a recently unearthed banger from The Stooges. “Rolling With The Reaper” closes the album with a bang. This three-minute track is one of the longest and is easily the most ambitious song on the album. The riffs and guitar melodies mesh perfectly with the pounding rhythm section and will have you rolling with the reaper and LJ Sleeze for years. If you’re a fan of distorted guitars, monster hooks, and copious amounts of sleaze, Dead or Alive is the album for you.
Listen to Dead or Alive below:
