DMBQ

Although virtually a household name in Tokyo, DMBQ is still very much an underground unknown in the United States. The band has shared international stages with such disparate acts as Fugazi, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Sonic Youth. Its latest long player straddles the great divide between garage rock and experimental noise. Led by guitarist and vocalist Shinji Masuko, this able quartet delivers a potent platter that constantly shifts gears without losing its momentum. From the plodding Sabbath-esque riffs of “Mo-Ya Mo-Ya” to the full-on juggernaut of “She Walks,” DMBQ is perhaps the quintessential bar band. If you’ve been looking for the soundtrack to swill loads of cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon to, DMBQ will deliver by the keg.