THE RED FLAGS

This local quartet, led by long-time Twin Cities axeman/songwriter (and former Bleeding Hearts member, along with the late, great former Replacement Bob Stinson) Mike Leonard and augmented by the pop-a-licious backing of Todd Petterson, Dave Randall, and the one and only Al Grande (Busiest Bankruptcy Lawyers, etc.) lays out no-bullshit, from-the-gut rock and roll with all the ferociousness and professional dedication each member's always displayed in their various past projects here on their debut CD for Rich Mattson's SMA label. Though they list their influences as "...Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, and other living, breathing things," that description hardly touches on the totally electrifying, all-out assault they produce when they plug in and crank them amps up to "11." Leonard, whose lyrical abilities (in my opinion) have long been under-rated, lets go of his emotions here in a "damn the torpedoes" whirl that leaves the listener absolutely breathless long after the disc has quit spinning. Live, they must be an awe-inspiring rawk beast, to say the least. [Tom Hallett, Reveille Magazine]

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