Dirty Cheetah - Never Too Late

In times like these, music can often be calming. But what if you want the opposite of calming? What if you just wanna rage? Then Dirty Cheetah's debut album is just what the doctor ordered. Never Too Late finds the Montreal foursome unleashing full-on sonic wildfire. Bookended by the ripping singles "Addicted" and "I Need It", this ten-song LP brings a non-stop assault of scorching guitars, pummeling drums & bass, and anthemic shout-along choruses. And while sometimes music of this particular intensity can take itself far too seriously, Dirty Cheetah keeps it fun with lyrics that lean in a delightfully sick and twisted direction. This band basically has two energy settings: turbo and smash everything. Anything less would be a betrayal of its musical mission. Pat and Frank kick up a thunderous racket on dual guitars while Lynn (best drummer!) and Don push these tunes fast and hard to the very end. If you've been dying to blow off some steam, you will be well-served to blast "Robot" at the loudest possible volume. "Got Caught", which cranks like Motörhead meets Dead Boys meets '90s action rock, has had me engaged in violent head-bobbing for the last couple of days. "Dioxide" and "Psycho-Pat" tear apart everything in their path and ought to leave you worn out from hoisting your fist in the air. The closest thing to a let-up from the relentless scorch-fest is "After You", an intensely emotional number that shows more of the band's melodic side than usual. But it still freaking rocks!

It's got to be a bummer for Dirty Cheetah to have to release Never Too Late in the middle of a pandemic. This is clearly a band that crafts its music with an explosive live experience in mind. I hear these songs and visualize people singing along and dancing and having a generally wild time. Yet there are no laws against doing those very things in the privacy of your own home. And if this album makes you wanna break stuff, well at least you'll be breaking your stuff! Even on record, Dirty Cheetah brings a fire and fury that I'm really needing right now. Don't forget to click on the individual tracks at Bandcamp: Leonie Gauthier did artwork for each song, and it's freaking amazing! Vinyl coming soon from No Front Teeth and Resurrection Records!



-L.R.

https://dirtycheetah.bandcamp.com/album/never-too-late
https://www.facebook.com/DirtyCheetah/