Prima Donna
Bless This Mess
Acetate Records
Feb 16, 21012
By Grant Britt
Pure unadulterated rock and roll from a young L.A.-based five piece outfit, Bless This Mess is an apt title for Prima Donna’s second release. Like all good rock and roll, it is a glorious mess. Some critics are labeling this stuff glitter rock, but there are no lipsticked, hair sprayed, sequin-studded spandex posers in this band.(check ‘em out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyNG0U9CESE) Prima Donna looks and sounds like a bunch of sweaty, ‘7os-era bar band garage rockers.
Although they spent nearly a year opening for Green Day on their ’09 tour and grew up sharing bills with punk bands, they’re no punker than Motley Crue. There’s plenty of attitude, but it’s done with a swagger, not a snarl. Even if “Sociopath” could be construed as Ramones-influenced, it’s more fleshed out than anything the Ramones ever raced through and more melodic. And even though you can feel the punk framework trying to poke through the fabric on “Puta Te Amor,” the scratchy sax break, the “ooh woo ah woo” vocal chorus and the funky bass solo pull it out of the oi bin and over onto the rockpile.
On the T Rex tribute “Feral Children,” they promise that “I will corrupt you,” and they live up to that promise. It’s great to hear this stuff these days- simple but effective rock, with great howling guitars and a pile driver beat.
Frontman Kevin Preston channels his inner Mick Jagger on “She Says,” sounding like Tattoo You-era Stones.
And although the band would more than likely have no problem with those who claim punk allegiance with them, in a live setting, it’s a pretty safe bet that there’ll be more rocking than slamming going on with those whose feet get caught up in the moment and carried away across the floor to dance this mess around.
