Tess Parks, Blood Hot

What makes garage rock into art? When it's not quite the deadly dumb progressions on guitar, but slightly off kilter. When the band gets very together in what they do, even if at base it's a matter of simplicity. And the vocals must have something special. Tess Parks and band on her album Blood Hot (359 Music 359CD6) do that kind of garage art.

What we have is some supremely laconic, not-quite-snarky but very attitudinal vocals from Ms. Parks, a hard-edged guitar-bass-drums quartet that hits psychedelic power chords and lets a simple effective lead guitar voice (or two) come though now and then.

Now that may sound ordinary, and it is. But the power of it all and Ms. Park's delivery put this one in the zone where you say, "Yeah, that works!"

There is still plenty to do in the garage rock zone. Tess Parks gives us something to remind us that roots can be rejuvenating. is it the guitar and vocals fountain of youth? No. But close.