Packing eight songs that actually wouldn’t sound out of place among the esteemed company of Before the Fall, EP No 3 from the Drab Doo-Riffs, A FISTFUL OF DOO-RIFFS (Liberation/Universal), is another welcome blast of fuss-free rock’n’roll that comes with all the pent-up energy of a sack of Mexican jumping beans. Although their primary influences may not be contemporary, there’s no fusty retro focus when Karl Steven and cohorts rip through songs like the bNet-championed Juggernaut and decidedly unmaudlin I’m Depressed, making for a phenomenal and furious 20-minute dash.
The Drab Doo-Riffs’ other singer, Caoimhe Macfehin, also pops up on Pretty Girls, a track from Christchurch rapper Jay Roacher’s sophomore album, CHEER UP JAY (Breakin Wreckwordz/Shock). The title is no joke, as Roacher lyrically picks at the scabs from his troubled life, showcasing a depth and sense of purpose that is all too rare among New Zealand hip-hop’s incessant navel-gazing and self-aggrandisement. With carefully selected guests, including label boss Cyphanetik, Tourettes and Topaz, and production from heavyweights like Scratch 22 and Alphabethead, Cheer Up Jay might not be an easy listen but it’s certainly a worthwhile one.