Mikki James

Don't bother trying to get the bar smell out of your hair and clothes before listening to Mikki James' Guess What — this one is best ingested with a fifth of whiskey (preferably Military Special) and a pack of unfiltered Pall Malls. Dirty and party-hardened, Guess What, the band's third release, is devoid of any new sounds or attempts at ingenuity — like Andrew W.K., these guys are just out to swear, booze up and have fun. Mikki James, namesake, vocalist and bass player, fronts the group with a sense of humor and irony, without which the album would be too cock-rockish for its own good. Supported by guitarists and backup singers Ivan Evangelista and Matthew Hageman and drummer Jon Weber, James' influences includes '70s glam rock and today's garage wave but favors mostly the self-aggrandizing sentiments of hair-metal in between. The tone is set immediately with the opener, "Hand on the Goose." Sure, the lyrics are sophomoric, but they're laid in front of spiraling guitar riffs that would make David Lee Roth execute a full scissor kick. The title track is equally mature, with its repeated Guess what? Fuck youchorus. But rather than being aggressive, James' brushoff is like getting a noogie from Dee Snide.