Take the most explosive, ironic, hard hitting group of sonic rockers on the planet, pair them with a legendary producer, add new and improved song writing chops, a long cross country pilgrimage and odd, astronomical rock’s’ roll convergence and you have the third and most ambitious offering from the DC based band The Shakedowns. Connecting with Jack Endino, the man who twisted the knobs and shaped the sound of seminal grunge artists like Nirvana and Mudhoney, and lately has been the alchemist responsible for the meteoric rise of Hot Hot Heat., Endino filtered the Shakedowns already lava like heat into a molten stew of protean rock and agile punk, and the results are whiskey flavored bar tunes that could win over rock and roll purists and pop-punk adherents alike. Arrogance starts with AM radio frequencies and bursts into a frenzy of catatonic beats and wailing guitars. Get Up shoots floor driving tom beats like rhythmic cluster bombs that drive the song into a bar pounding last call. Don’t Understand Her coils speed tinged wailing chords under a gritty, country house vocal delivery that winds the song into a meth ridden dusk to dawn drunken rampage. With over the top vocal styling, the straight ahead, twisting guitar licks and an unrelenting back beat, this self titled disc offers the first record equal in energy and passion to their climatic and overheated live shows, a testament to the band’s heart, passion and soul.