Indie Spotlight: Desolation Blvd

Proudly paying homage to their glam and sleaze rock influences, Britain's Desolation Blvd is firmly footed in the resurgent UK rock scene. Sporting the name of the album from legendary glam rockers Sweet that gave the world such hits as "The Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox On The Run", the trio from the northwest coast of England is poised to hit the road as they work on their debut recording.

The three songs posted to Desolation Blvd's ReverbNation profile are superb examples of the new wave of sleaze rock. "Painkiller", a semi-acoustic cover of the Backyard Babies' tune, captures the spirit of the original albeit with an interesting and fresh arrangement. Therein lies the appeal of Desolation Blvd, as the band delivers the retro rock with just a touch of modern sensibility. "Nasty Suzie" is my favorite of the three available tracks, as Dave Brown snarls the lyrics in convincing fashion while grinding out robust '80s-inspired riffs. Drummer Dan Wallace ensures that all available space is filled with raucous beats and cymbal crashes, but four-stringer Neill "Hux" Hucknall is a little deep in the mix for my taste. Not to worry, fellow bass lovers, as "Pulling Hard" serves up the slappy strums in spades. This scorching little rocker has a Motörhead-meets-AC/DC vibe to it and is sure to be a favorite in front of live audiences.

If you are a fan of no-frills, good time rock, lend your support to Desolation Blvd as they work their way into the scene. Stop by their ReverbNation or Facebook pages for more information.