King Tuff
Black Moon Spell
Sub Pop
Street: 09.23
King Tuff = Fuzz / White Fence + T. Rex
Say hello to the best classic rock record of the year. For all of its influences drawn from ‘70s glam and heavy rock, it might as well be a revival record, but that’s not King Tuff’s intention. He’s just a down-and-dirty rocker who wisely chooses not to distort his vocals, and is able to catch the fun of early heavy rock. It’s the lack of dark matter and the distinctive, suggestive snarl in Tuff’s voice on tracks like “Sick Mind” that makes me want to whip some long hair around in good fun. On “Black Holes In Stereo,” Tuff recounts how he learned more from his records growing up than he ever could have in school. In this ear blasting, electric number, Tuff counts these round, black treasures as gifts from cosmic messengers. Simply put, this record rules and deserves to be played at full blast. –Justin Gallegos