Supersuckers

"Subtle" is not a word that used frequently in connection with the Supersuckers, but compared to the supercharged drive, middle-finger attitude and arena-sized guitar attack of most of their albums (with the obvious exception of their alt-country effort Must've Been High), their eighth studio set, Get It Together, suggests this band has at long last embraced the notion of moderation and shading. Longtime fans need not fear, Get It Together still stands tall for Rock & Roll in a big way; guitarists Dan "Thunder" Bolton and Rontrose Heathman haven't quit beating those Gibsons into submission, and bassist/frontman Eddie Spaghetti and drummer Dan Siegel deliver more than their share of muscle and swagger. But instead of focusing on sheer speed and impact, the Supersuckers have actually paid attention to detail and finesse on Get It Together, and a few of the songs are (gulp) smart and emotionally resonant. "Paid" is a potent no-frills testament to the hard work of just getting by, "Anything Else" is a bittersweet tale of temptation and survival, "She Is Leaving" is a heartfelt post-mortem of a relation on the skids, and "Sunset on a Sunday" looks an uncertain and unfriendly future square in the eye. Then again, this is still the Supersuckers, so Get It Together also includes the super stoopid "I'm a Fucking Genius," the clearly sincere hymn to excess "I Like It All," and the balls-out "Listen Up," which could pass for Foghat in dim light. The Supersuckers haven't tried to remake themselves into something new and unrecognizable on Get It Together, but after 20 years on the road they're finally showing faint signs of maturity, and it seems to work in their favor without robbing them of their ability to rock you like the proverbial hurricane. [And if you want to embrace the more sweaty and rambunctious side of the band, pick up the CD rather than the download; it comes with a bonus DVD of the Supersuckers roaring through a loud, proud set on-stage at the Anaheim House of Blues in 2007.] ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide