Thundermother (self-titled)

Thundermother is back, baby. Now run out and get me pack of smokes and some whiskey, would ya?Sweden has been in the throes of retro rock for a decade or so - and they're damned good at it, let me tell you. Case in point, Thundermother. Their last album, Road Fever, was a raucous, beer-swilling soundtrack that heralded a band succeeding on its musical merits rather than the novelty of being a woman-fronted hard rock band. Chalk that up largely to the fertile mind of lead guitarist and founder, Filippa Nässil. And the all new band's new self-titled album continues that thought with more ass-kicking rock and roll than you can shake a stick at.

After the previous album, four members of the band left, leaving Filippa to put together a new lineup with Guerinca Mancini (vocals), Emlee Johansson (drums), and Sara Pettersson (bass). Mancini's smoky vocals are perfect for the raw energy of Nässil's beefy riffs, sounding like a cross between Pink and [the criminally underrated] Suze DeMarchi by way of Doro Pesch. Having conquered the Wacken festival despite only playing together for a few months, they hit the studio. Recording everything live, they laid down 15 tracks in just 10 days, most of which made the new album. And that raw energy is present in the atmospheric mix captured by award-winning producer Thomas Plec Johansson. This album sounds fantastic, like an old vinyl gem you might come across in a forgotten record store. Imagine Angus Young doing a side project with Pink and you sorta get an idea of what to expect - but don't let that decide for you. Check this band out for yourself, ya hear?

The Bottom Line: Sweden isn't done with the retro rock thing, but that's not a bad thing. Especially if you're in the market for some classic bar-rocking tunes that sound old[-school] and fresh at the same time.

- Genghis would like to be up front stage for this band if they come to town...