Thursday, January 26, 2006

NEP/OTD present: the Rudds, Ryan Lee

Sure, the RUDDS have impeccable ’70s and ’80s references — lots of bands do. But few people are more fun to watch than frontman John Powhida. When he jumps off the stage, unleashes his falsetto, and does suggestive things with the mike, he’s plugging into the time-honored rock tradition of straight guys pretending to be gay. Which brings us to the second Rudds album, Get the Femuline Hang On, a disc about having it both ways — being funny and serious, doing heavy rock and old-school R&B. On “Astrological Sign Choker” they’re in hairy-chest glam-metal mode. Rad. Catch the band headlining ThePhoenix.com/New England Product series this Friday at Bill’s Bar with Ryan Lee and the Mindless, who we just wrote about in the Phoenix a couple weeks ago.

LISTEN: The Rudds, "Astrological Sign Choker" (mp3)
LISTEN: Ryan Lee and the Mindless, "Obey Me" (mp3)