Category: Album Reviews
Tags: Below the Belt, Danko Jones

Danko Jones are a rock ‘n’ roll band from Ontario. They are a trio consisting of Danko Jones (vocals/guitar), John Calabrese (bass) and Dan Cornelius (drums) and, over the years, they have released a handful of albums and played with everyone- from the Stones and Motorhead to Guns ‘N’ Roses and Nashville Pussy. They ‘ve never achieved mainstream success, but they are huge in Sweden (no surprise since it’s the country of The Hellacopters and The Backyard Babies). They are essentially a punk band and their earlier releases had a garage / soul vibe going on. Pretty soon they got quite slicker though and streamlined their sound to a Thin Lizzy meets AC/DC mix. Despite the Phil Lynott sugary harmonies and the blues swagger though, they are too punk to indulge in much soloing. Jones himself is a fantastic rythm guitarist, but rarely plays lead. This makes Below The Belt, their latest album, a lean, concise attack. The songs seem fun but disposable and it’s only after a while when you realise that you simply cannot get the melodies out of your head. The lyrical subject matter is always the same (pussy) and Jones’ constant horniness can get tiresome (his ideas about gender relations seem to agree with such noted feminists as Benny Hill, Conan the Barbarian and assorted members of W.A.S.P.). Still, while Below The Belt is not exactly the sort of thing I like to listen in one sitting, it will set any Summer party ablaze.

(-Dimitris Kontogiannis-)

About the Author: CnB