The Secret Life [CD]

But this isn't country or Americana; it's punk: lean, engaging, minimalist punk songs topping out before the three minute mark. There's some Raincoats vibe, a little Intima, a touch of ESG and Unwound, but with dub, soul, and afro-beat influences it becomes a whole new animal, a refreshing, absorbing, exhilarating living creature, brand-new for a new struggling world. And the joyous spirit of Fela Kuti is right there switching beats alongside Buffy Sainte-Marie and the Pacific Northwest's best DIY originators; the past is there, but it is in no way nostalgic. Ghosts notwithstanding, The Secret Life, the New Bloods' Kill Rock Stars debut, is a focused, concentrated full-toned shot of 2008.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Rock