Someone once opined that
AC/DC
essentially spent their career making the same album over and over, but that was no major criticism because it was a really great album. You could reasonably say the same thing about
Guitar Wolf
; they're a band that have never given a hoot about stylistic growth or exploring the nuances of their music, they just want to play fast, loud, and wild and make a deafening racket that's good, irresponsible fun. Even though the they've been at this for over 30 years, they haven't strayed from their mission or gotten stale, and 2019's
Love & Jett
is a fine variation on the
album we all know and love. Leader
Seiji
remains nothing short of feral as a guitarist and singer, and the furious slash and burn of his performances is taut and focused on these songs. It's one thing to be able to sound this ferocious wailing about wild women ("Girl Boss of Paris") or cool cars ("Fireball Red Legend"), but when you can kick out these kinds of jams about bowling ("Bowling in Takada-No-Baba") or the evolution of early primates ("Australopithecus Spark"), then you know this guy has mastered the art of rock & roll frenzy. And bassist
Gotz
and drummer
Toru
are more than capable of keeping up with him; as a trio, they hit fourth gear right off the beat and they don't downshift until the last tune crosses the finish line.
is a rip-roaring testament to the power of pure, undiluted rock & roll, and a document of one band's unyielding vision of untamed guitar-based abandon. When you can do that so well, why would you ever want to change? ~ Mark Deming