Snow Emergency EP
This debut from a promising new trio gives a big, healthy head nod to '60s garage rock, dosed with a rad shot of junkie punk swagger. This five-song romp could've easily come out of Detroit or New York's Bowery circa '77. Brimming with early Stones-inspired vicious energy and refined with the well-crafted brutal pop sensibilities of ahead-of-their-timers like The Stooges, New York Dolls, Richard Hell and the 13th Floor Elevators, Joey and The Traitors rock the garage so hard I swear you can hear former Uncertain 5 beat maker Zach Weinberg's drumming ringing off the aluminum door. Band leader Joey Bocian's gritty, fuzz-twang guitar bites its way through each song mercilessly. But it's Bocian's distorted, snarling vocals, which cap these cuts and make the grade. He belts his way through each song with an honest, long-forgotten rock 'n' passion that's inspiring. The tracks "Motown Blues" and "Get Back to Ya Baby" would be well-worthy of a Stooges opening gig, and songs that reflect the Motown sound's awesome influence on the gritty rock 'n' roll of the Motor City. I'm a sucker for these sounds, so when I hear that special brand of perfectly poorly recorded production fuzz that at once tears at and fills up your heart, I can't help but look forward to a lot more from these lads.

-RAB February 6th 2008 edition