The Big Iron

Imagine four seasoned rockers throwing down a roaring batch of old-school, late-'70s-early-'80s hardcore punk songs just for the fun of it. Then imagine that they can pull it off better than just about anybody. Such is the case with the latest release from longtime KC ass-kicker the Big Iron. The band's second full-length, Thanks for the Therapy, unleashes flawlessly executed tracks that recall angst-fueled teenage days of rebellion and boiling mosh pits. Born-to-bellow vocalist Jeff Pendergraft, a man who makes howling lyrics look as effortless as taking a nap, gets personal sometimes — You left when I was 9, said you would come back another time ("Forgotten Father") — but lightens up elesewhere, as on "In My Head," a song that better represents the Big Iron's solid rep for amped-up, twangy rock-and-roll with attitude.