After 2003′s highly touted Two Angels And A Dream, California’s Depswa are back with their new album Distorted American Dream. After being out of the spotlight for seven years, will Depswa be able to recreate the magic or find themselves living in a Distorted American Dream?

The album opens with its title track. Depswa have always been a very talented and eccentric band, but this is the kind of song I would’ve never expected from them. From the hip shakin’ acoustic boogie to the harmonica and tambourine accents, Depswa throw the listener for a complete loop. Musically, the song sounds like feel good rock and roll, Eagles style. One thing that has always made Depswa really stand out from the pack was Jeremy Penick’s vocals; and once again, he doesn’t disappoint. The one major flaw with this song being the opening track is that, for newcomers, it might be more of a turn off than a turn on. People’s attention spans are shorter than ever, and opening with a track like this might have more listeners hitting the eject button rather than giving the album a chance.

“Right Now” hearkens back to the Two Angels And A Dream era. Depswa come out totally grooving with big bouncy guitars and drums that are mammoth enough to separate your head from your shoulders. Just as you get used to being headless, the band takes it down a notch into a funky jazz-like arrangement. Not only do the choruses bring the song together, but they also open the entire track up with huge melodic grooves and ultra catchiness.

Another track that took me by surprise was “Performance After The Show” with its Queens Of The Stone Age feel. Now before some of you run for the hills screaming like your head has caught fire, take a chance and listen. In parts, Guitarist Dan Noonan mimics Josh Homme’s (QOTSA) quirkiness, which isn’t bad, but is completely unexpected. The desert style grooves are mixed with stomping drums and thumping bass lines, all combined with Depswa’s trademark vocals.

Songs like “Cut You Out” and “The Biggest Part” are tracks that surely stand out on the album. “Cut You Out” begins with Egyptian style six strings; and during the verses, Penick (at points) seems to channel Chino Moreno (Deftones), as well as adding Sevendust’s answer/call style into the mix. “The Biggest Part” comes out like an aged prize fighter brawling for his life. Not only do the guitars slice and dice, but the bass and drums are absolutely monstrous. Vocally, Penick is not to be outdone, holding his own with an incredible range and wide dynamic.

I will say that the album does have its share of slower, more lumbering tracks like “Take It Back,” “10 Kinds Of Lonely” and “One Drop,” among others. This isn’t a bad thing, but I do wish they would have incorporated more uptempo songs to keep the momentum going. For example, the album ends on the very melancholy “Peace and Serenity.” I’m starting to believe that ending albums on a slower song seems to be contagious these days. I know that albums are supposed to take the listener on a journey, but that doesn’t mean lull them to sleep.

Depswa have always drawn me in with their incredibly infectious style and uber-catchy choruses. These guys wrote sections in songs that were beautiful epidemics that spread like a worldwide plague. Unfortunately with this release, those moments are fewer than I expected (or would have liked). With that being said, Distorted American Dream really doesn’t compare to their previous effort, but is definitely a solid release from beginning to end.

3.5/5