Her Next Friend

All of this electro this and techno that and who knows what's being created by a person and what is being sampled and tracked by some inhuman computer somewhere with an 8 year old pushing the buttons on a track mixer, hmm? Well...here's a treat for those of you that long for the good old fashioned days. Solid, guitar rock with introspective lyrics and a bit of stoner style but not so much that you need to be tripping to like it. It's barbecue season here in Joisey, kiddies – it's time to blast the riffs!

Enter Her Next Friend from norther Virginia. Cranking up the blues, garaging the punk and simply smacking the modern mainstream with fervor, the 8 year old electro kiddies can't touch good old fashioned blues laced rock 'n roll baby. Lead by John Whitfield Burton, previously a U.S. Army officer (thanks man!), this five song self-titled EP is energy filled and raw.

With the Reed-like vocals of Cats in the Garage to the baritone croonings of Days Worth Living For, Burton may not be the best singer I've ever heard but he doesn't have to be. His guitar speaks for him well enough with fast paced, catchy riffs perfect for air guitaring to monster solos in virtually every track. Power ballad Handwritten Message infuses shades of Bruce Springstein without the beer-drinking glory days cliches.

I really dig Her Next Friend. It's a good summer soundtrack arriving just in time. Pure rock 'n roll – none of the additives. I'd like to see more of his work. I'd also like to hear him and, say, Mike Comfort(1) get together. They'll remind the whole world what rock 'n roll is about if that were to happen - Marcus Pan