The Von Bondies -- Pawn Shoppe Heart

7/10

Yep, just like everybody else, I bought this album because of Rescue Me. Yes, the edgy '04-'11 FX firefighter drama that I'm scared to re-watch, but enjoyed live for all but maybe its lowpoints during the second half of the fifth, and most of its six season, has one of the greatest opening theme songs of all time, The Von Bondies "C'mon C'mon."

The song is urgent and full of attitude and energy and regret, and it fits that show perfectly. Unfortunately, like most people who bought the Von Bondies Pawn Shoppe Heart, I soon found out that "C'mon C'mon" is the album standout by a large margin. None of the other songs come close. The rest isn't bad, though. It's just...fine. It's motor city rock music from that early 00's bare-bones garage rock throwback fad that's full of power-chords and straight-forward songs. The musicians here are all solid, the songs are all solid, but outside of "C'mon C'mon," not too much else stands out. The hooks here are a prominent amount of female back-up vocals that even sometimes take over the lead, and a very big blues influence. I don't return to this album too often, outside of "C'mon C'mon," but it's not like Pawn Shoppe Heart sucks. It's just not nearly as good as its best song. But the band do mix things up, slowing things down on the ballad "Mairead." Even if I have trouble remembering them, the songs at least don't all sound the same. Plus, now the frontman, who once lost a fistfight to Jack White, is a real estate agent. Cool.

2004 Sire Records
1. No Regrets 2:34
2. Broken Man 2:10
3. C'mon C'mon 2:15
4. Tell Me What You See 1:56
5. Been Swank 2:44
6. Mairead 5:11
7. Not That Social 3:01
8. Crawl Through the Darkness 2:45
9. The Fever 2:38
10. Right of Way 3:46
11. Poison Ivy 2:14
12. Pawn Shoppe Heart (with hidden track, "Try a Little Tenderness," originally popularized by Otis Redding) 9:28