Hot on the heels of the The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs' epic two-disc compilation All The Covers (And More) comes Rum Bar Records' deluxe reissue of the band's most recent studio album One More Drink. Originally released by Dead Beat Records in 2021, One More Drink wasn't just the Cheetahs' first proper album in 20 years. It's also one of the band's very best albums — probably the most essential thing the Cheetahs have put out since the release of Overdrive in 1997. In my book it's the one release that's most representative of what The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs are all about: combining the primordial ooze punk style the band is best known for with elements of power pop and classic hard rock/metal. Lots of bands claim to transcend genre, but the Cheetahs walk the walk on this release. "Ain't It Summer" sounds so much like Cheap Trick that I'm still not sure it isn't Cheap Trick. "Fast, Fucked and Furious" is what you'd call "vintage" Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, while "Bad Vacation" nails that poppy '77 punk sound that I'll never tire of. "We Are The Ones (We've Been Waiting For)" brings to mind the mid-'80s heyday of British new wave/classic alternative. "The Rejected" is old school SoCal punk and even features Rikk Agnew on guitar. "Rumblin' Train" is pummeling Motörhead-inspired rawk at its absolute finest. You'll find yourself wondering if there's anything The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs can't do. And that's just the first side of the album!
As I listen to One More Drink, two things hit me. One is that The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs are really underrated as songwriters. Songs like "Ain't It Summer," "Bad Vacation," and "We Are The Ones" demonstrate that the Cheetahs' melodic side not only exists but it is also a strength. My second big takeaway is that this current lineup (Frank Meyer on vocals and guitar, Dino Everrett on bass, Bruce Duff on guitar, Mike Sessa on drums, and Geoff Yeaton on sax) is a total powerhouse. As the band embraces its '70s/'80s hard rock influences like never before, it definitely has the chops to pull if off. If you're going to worship at the altar of peak era AC/DC, you better have some monster riffs, killer solos, and tight grooves in your bag of tracks. "Warzone" delivers all of that and then some. As a lifetime AC/DC fan, I happily give this song my seal of approval. The final two tracks of the original LP clock in at a combined 12 minutes, yet there's not a dull second in either song.
While "bonus tracks" on a reissue can often amount to a whole lot of nothing, the songs newly added to One More Drink make a great album even greater. "Escape From New York City" and "Fuck The Future (I Want Now)" (both from a single released in 2014) are blistering shots of punk rock and roll adrenaline. The Red Kross-ish "Victim of the Service Industry," exclusive to this release, is truly an anthem for these times. Altogether, One More Drink is a perfect blend of punk rock, powerful pop, and kick-ass rock and roll. There's something on this album for everyone. The title track is my favorite song ever from The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs. It features a guest appearance from Dramarama's John Easdale, one of the greatest living songwriters in American rock and roll. It manages to be a little reminiscent of Dramarama's "Last Cigarette" without being a copy. And honestly, that same level of songwriting is sustained all throughout the album. There are bona fide hits all over the place. If you've never heard The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs before, One More Drink would be a fine place to start.
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