The Red 100's

Playing heaving and heavy psychedelic rock, the power trio known as The Red 100's is an anomaly on the local music scene. Decidedly unhip, Robbie D. Love, Raul Mercado and Kyle Scheumack make a blues-rock racket. There isn't a single iota of indie-rock finesse on the six tracks that make...

By Darryl Smyers

July 21, 2011

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Playing heaving and heavy psychedelic rock, the power trio known as The Red 100's is an anomaly on the local music scene. Decidedly unhip, Robbie D. Love, Raul Mercado and Kyle Scheumack make a blues-rock racket. There isn't a single iota of indie-rock finesse on the six tracks that make up Live off the Floor, the band's debut EP.

But that's not a bad thing. Beginning with "Bellhop Swing" and ending with "Set Me Free," Love and crew never deviate from their bruising game plan. The album is riff upon riff. Cuts such as "Kill Switch" and "Ain't No" have all the subtlety of a chain saw. Even the relatively restrained tones of "Coffee at Midnight" still carry weight. After it's all said and done, the listener comes away feeling somewhat soiled and hungover.

This is meat-and-potatoes rock, cooked well done and smothered in gravy. The best way to enjoy this stuff is with a couple of (cheap) beers and a pack of Marlboros. Music this soaked in fuzzed-out '60s garage rock has to be enjoyed with the proper old-school vices.

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