The Datsuns - Outta Sight / Outta Mind

If their self-titled debut was “that extra edge” cranked to 11, it seems The Datsuns, with the help of producer John Paul Jones (from Led Zep Bros!), have turned it down to 10 for their sophomore effort Outta Sight/Outta Mind. Which probably has something to do with why you’ve heard considerably less about this album (that and you don’t hear it blaring through your paper thin dorm walls). Their last album was released two years ago, right smack dab in the middle of the garage rock revolution (courtesy of the NME), unfairly lumping them with bands that they had little to do with. The Datsuns are a retro rock band through and through. There’s little to no garage or punkittude about it. These guys think it's 1973 and are just acting accordingly. They probably were pretty stoked that Jones would leave the Zep’s “world tour” to record their LP. Even the cover art is straight out of the 70s: Walking through a field wearing clothes right out of their dad’s closet with this whole weird trippie coloration of the background going on. So The Datsuns are kind of derivative, but so what? Who doesn’t like rock? And at least these guys are legitimate about what they are doing; they truly believe in classic rock, regardless of how dated it has become. With songs like “Hong Kong Fury,” “Get Up (Don’t Fight It),” and “Blacken My Thumb,” the Datsuns will rock you right down to the very core, if you let them. It’s not going to change the world; it’s not going to push music forward, but it is going to rock and rock hard. I mean, it’s only rock n’ roll, but I like it. [www.thedatsuns.com]