Duck & Cover - Two Shots

Duck & Cover has returned with its first new music in a couple of years - and of course these songs are gonna rock your face off! The three-song 7" "Two Shots" is a great follow-up to 2018's album Rob Them Blind, and as always this foursome operates at the intersection of early '80s hard rock/AOR and nail-tough Boston punk. The title track is the kind of over-the-top heavy rock anthem that that they just don't play on the radio anymore (although you wish they did!). It alternates between a deliberate mid-tempo verse and a truly thunderous chorus, with guitars raging as Chris delivers an intense and absolutely bad-ass vocal. The song definitely recalls the loud and proud FM rock of yore, yet it's got a nasty edge to it that has become a signature for Duck & Cover. If you're looking for a song that will have you air drumming and air guitaring to your heart's content, "Two Shots" is IT! "Bleeding Edge" comes on with a similar power but takes a more melodic, hook-driven direction. The lead guitar and bass sound amazing, and all in all this is a great reminder of a time when big, hooky hard rock was king. To finish, "Unlucky 17" is another balls-out rocker with quality hooks and a ton of attitude. For some reason, I'm reminded a little of Alice Cooper here. And if there's anything we need more of in today's music, it would be bands I can mention in the same sentence as Alice Cooper!

Duck & Cover sure isn't fooling around on "Two Shots". This EP is an all-killer, no-filler affair that satisfies on every level. The songs slay, the production is top-notch, and all the guys tear it up with their musical chops. This is what it sounds like to hear a band rocking out without apology, and yet the punk influence is still evident in the grittiness and general economy of the band's attack. I've had the pleasure to feature Duck & Cover a number of times over the years. Pound for pound, "Two Shots" might be the band's strongest release yet!



-L.R.

https://duckcover1.bandcamp.com/album/two-shots 
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