Ninja Gun

Restless Rubes

[4/5]

It looks like 2008 has been a pretty good year for punk bands that aren’t afraid of aping some classic radio rock. While most Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty-referencing is done by guys with gruff, manly voices, Ninja Gun’s backward-looking tunes are unexpectedly naked and clean-sounding, and all the better for it. Petty’s tone is all over Restless Rubes, but the most prominent touchstone is Big Star’s #1 Record. Aching power-pop and earnest, unaffected vocal performances come together perfectly on tracks like "Asking Price" and "The Last Cowboy." This is unapologetically classic power-pop that doesn’t hide its obvious potential commercial strengths by downing a bottle of whiskey before every take; instead, it’s a loving re-imagining of some of the finest radio rock of the ’70s and ’80s. (SUBURBAN HOME) Sam Sutherland