The Clutters: Breaking Bones

Surely the Clutters are aware of the inherent irony of their name — after all, this Nashville foursome trafficks in no-frills, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll of their highest order. Their third album is a dozen meaty slabs of rock straight outta the garage. (Really, they come on like a Music City version of the sons-of-Joe-Perry TAB the Band, if that means anything to you.) Despite the sonic assault of tunes like the swaggering opener “Finer Things” or the AC/DC-indebtedness of the cocksure “I Wanna Be Known” (all fueled by Andrew Higley’s spirited keyboard work), Breaking Bones‘ characters are a frustrated lot… but hoping for better days. Lead singer Doug Lehmann kicks at the dirt on the death-of-a-relationship lament “Our World Is Gone”, then rails against suburban ennui on the punked-up “Twice Bitten” (“I don’t wanna spend the rest of my days in this town.”). Best is when they balance the frustration with a dose of humor, as on “More”‘s central question: “You want more than I can offer… tell me, when are you leaving?” What’s more classic rock and roll than hating your hometown and having girl trouble?