Porcella, The Deadly Snakes' fourth album, shows the band continuing to expand its horizons from its greasy garage rock roots without turning its back on where it came from. There's a bit of The Doors in album-opener Debt Collection, a bluesy rock number with some sax. There are lots of strings in 200 Nautical Miles and the collection-closing A Bird In The Hand Is Worthless. The organ plays a large role in the garage-rockin' Sissy Blues, while the blues-based Let It All Go is largely acoustic. Co-frontman André Ethier plays toy piano and sounds like Eric Burdon in the context of High Prices Going Down, while reminding me of Nick Cave in So Young & So Cruel. Melotron is used to good effect on the fun, melodic and varied Gore Veil. There are musical similarities to Tom Waits' work on Work, while horns add extra life and spirit to the rollicking By Morning, It's Gone. The Banquet offers up a garage rock gospel revival.
While Porcella is solid, The Deadly Snakes really come into their own on stage. I've seen the group twice since June and believe that it's one of the best live bands in Toronto. Hopefully I can get motivated enough after barbecuing myself a nice steak to get out of the house and see the Snakes play Lee's Palace at midnight tonight. I'm sure that it will be a hot show.