Dark Side of the Cop – S/T / 2005 Auger Down / 13 Tracks / http://www.darksideofthecop.com / http://www.augerdownrecords.com / Reviewed 31 August 2006

I had no clue what to expect from Dark Side of the Cop before putting this album on the player. The disc’s first track is “Detroit (Prelude)”, and it shows Dark Side of the Cop as an act that blends together an indie type of rock with a hybrid of psychedelic and trip-hop music. Whether this will stay together for the rest of the disc is something that I do not know about, but it is an interesting start regardless. The disc’s second track is “Stuck In The Darkness”, and it dovetails well with “Detroit”. The styles of Dark Side of the Cop are thus close to acts like The Boy Least Likely To and Grandaddy. The smart move taken by Dark Side has to be that each of the songs on this album are very short. The band can thus move on without having a trainwreck on the disc, and even though strong hits like “Shaky Little Rules” go by quickly, individuals can go and listen to the track again in a short time.

“Childhood” keeps the band in the sixties groove of things, but there is enough electronic presence on the track to keep a current sound cultivated. Even tough all of the songs, instruments and arrangements are done essentially by one person (Marco), Dark Side of the Cop does not fall into the same rut as a number of primarily solo acts.

This means that the different instruments interact with each other instead of just following along with the lead instrument; there is conflict in this disc that makes each of the instruments stronger. I know that there is over thirty-five minutes of music on this album, but I already want more from Dark Side of the Cop. The band will not be racking up platinum hits and all of that, but they do provide listeners with some of the best looking-back rock out there now. While The Racounteurs hit on seventies rock and The Darkness funnel Queen, Dark Side of the Cop go a little earlier and make everyone remember the sixties in a warm light. The smart arrangements of all of the tracks on this album coupled with the solid sound of the band makes this a disc that listeners should search out and pick up with all possible speed. Individuals may be put off by the style of the band, but there is a talent that will shine through the style of music they play.

Top Tracks: Paradise Lost and Found, Shaky Little Rules

Rating: 7.0/10

[JMcQ]