Tucson, AZ's LONG LIVE THE SMOKING GUN (LLSG for short) appears to be packing some serious Southwest-flavored grungy hard rock in their arsenal. Their recipe is simple enough: Take the riffs of Page Hamilton, a guitar tone that's as brown and gritty as the desert ground from whence it came, stand back and keep a hose handy in case a fire breaks out. Opener "Justice in a Ghost Town" and its follow-up "Fortunato and His Amontillado" don't waste time delivering a simple-yet-effective drive that's as hard as a canyon wall. Afterwards, "Pure Blood Would Probably Kill You" decreases the tempo and increases the groove, "Goodmen" is a surprisingly authentic-sounding Southern blues throwback, and the unadulterated heaviness of the first two tracks makes its comeback in "Ghosts are Better Left Where They Are."

However, we should mention what could be either the best or worst part of this CD depending on what tickles your pickle: the vocals. To say that they're rough is like saying that Glen Benton is a smidge irritated at Christianity. In truth, this guy couldn't carry a tune in a tanker. Not that it really matters, though, because his message is delivered so forcefully that it actually works most of the time. Besides, it's only rock 'n roll, right? Well, that and the fact that this CD is only 18 minutes long… any longer an exposure to that voice would indeed be deadly. Sure, the "room for improvement" cliché may apply for LLSG, but there are certainly worse starting points than this.

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/longlivethesmokinggun

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