The Muggs

On With the Show
by Scott Hefflon

I discovered these guys when they released a sweet bar blues/rock CD on the short-lived Times Beach Records. Killer guitar, like American Dog perhaps, something dirty and smoky and sexy and primal, sometimes swaggering, sometimes simply tasteful blues having at it while the singer leads the way. Dodge Motors got behind them (they’re from Detroit), and they had a stint on Fox’s The Next Great American Band. They’re unsigned now (not that being on label gets you much anymore), and they still smoke. Great guitarwork, solid bar blues rock songs, some stoner flourishes, some head-nodding rock, strong ’70s rock vocals, and once you get used to the overall bassy production, it’s a good one to throw on when the boys wanna throw back some whiskey shots and beer chasers. Oh, and ballad “Curbside Constellation Blues” deserves note for being one of the best blues rock slow tunes I’ve heard since Jeff Healey, and that says something to the people who know what’s what.
(www.themuggs.com)