The Dandy Warhols – ROCKMAKER

We’re decades removed from the alt-boom of the nineties, and so are the groups that came up in that. Those which are still around have to balance between sticking to the old ways or going for something new. Portland’s Dandy Warhols have been reinventing themselves over and over again, and decide to go hard guitar with ROCKMAKER, in ways good and not so much.

 While there’s no “Bohemian Like You”, there are definite standouts where ROCKMAKER makes its rock work. Dandy catch marries well with guitar rock on “Teutonic Wine”, and with the fun press of “Alcohol and Cocainemarijaunanicotine” (have to leave out heroin, because it’s still passé…). The raw rawk is best on single “I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem”, aided by the always rocking Slash. On the other hand, some other songs feel like misfires (“Root of All Evil” is not as fun as it thinks it is; “Real People” is just grind & complain) that make you wish for The Dandy Warhols of old.

The Dandy Warhols were never as pop-simple as Dig! made them out to be back when (anyone would look mainstream compared to The Brian Jonestown Massacre…), and they’ve certainly made some errors in the twenty-first century – 2019’s Why You So Crazy (QRO review) could feel like a parody of the band, and their last release was the over three-and-a-half hour Tafelmuzik Means More When You’re Alone. Did we need The Dandies to go hard rock? Probably not. But there are times they definitely pull it off.