It's been a long, long time since The Dream Syndicate released their masterpiece, Days of Wine and Roses.  That album is the unheralded prototype of grunge, with it's distorted, jagged guitars and lazy vocals by Steve Winn.

Wes McDonald, a solo artist from Athens, Georgia, has in many ways captured and updated the Dream Syndicate's sound.  His new album, Cuttin' Up Rocks, is a marvelous slice of southern-tinged alt-rock.  Every one of the albums 12 songs are worth hearing.

The opening track, "Water" sets the tone.  McDonald sings to a brief acoustic accompaniment, then a blast of electric guitars enters the fray.  Before the next verse begins, the song quiets back down, revealing a complex texture that is always melodic.

"Green Grass" features a stuttering electric guitar riff and a very unexpected blow-yer-socks-off horn section.  Slower tracks like "You Could Be the One Today" smartly add pacing to the album.  Clever, subtly disarming guitar melodies abound ("Tell Me Why"), and if you're looking for pure rock and roll, look no farther than the title track.

McDonald wrote, produced, and played all of the instruments on Rocks (except for some piano on "You're Gold").  McDonald is an amazing talent, surely deserving far more than 20 minutes in the spotlight.

Purchase Cuttin' Up Rocks and sample free tracks