SUPERSUCKERS, a band originally formed in 1988 in Tucson, AZ and now calling Seattle, WS home, is a three-piece, bare bones, guns blazing rock 'n' roll band. Their thirteenth studio release, "Play That Rock 'N' Roll," is a great example of just that. The album oozes raw power, and it is easy to see why they are loved by such diverse peers as Robin Zander of CHEAP TRICK, all the way to Willie Nelson and Steve Earle.

The album was tracked over a four-day run at Willie Nelson's studio in Austin, TX, and you can feel the Texas energy surge through its thirty-four minute duration and eleven heavy handed tunes; ranging from alt-country influence to hardcore punk within seconds of each other.

Opening things up, with a somewhat chaotic bang, is "Ain't Gonna Stop (Until I Stop It)." The song has a signature three-piece heaviness to it, with nice guitar riffs from Chandler, and menacing, gravelly vocals laid down by Eddie. You get the feeling going in that this is not this band's first rodeo. They have certainly been around the block, probably under it a time or two, and have lived to tell the tale. Their lyrical content is raw, and within the opening couple of minutes, might give a lesser hearted hypocritical politician or televangelist a stroke. These boys could well have been formed for the benefit of the PMRC alone. Moving forward, another stand out track is "Bringing It Back," with its heavy punk feel and addictive groove. The song checks in at just over two and a half minutes, giving it even more of the punk feel.

On the album's title cut, "Play That Rock 'N' Roll", the band reminds us of better days with talk of seeing THE RAMONES and MOTORHEAD live. This band is a throwback to those days, and this record is a fine example of it. Closing things out, there are a couple of well-chosen covers. First up, they rip through MICHAEL MONROE'S "Dead, Jail or Rock 'N' Roll" as if it were their own. The other track, ALLEN TOUSSAINT'S "A Certain Girl," gets a pretty good make over, but shows the band's sense of humor, as do a few other cuts.

All said, there is nothing really "new" here, but there really doesn't need to be, either. These guys are what they are: unapologetic, raw, heavy, and a pretty damned good rock 'n' roll band. Strong record.