Danko Jones - 'Sleep Is The Enemy' (Bad Taste) Released 15/05/06

When the musical press are hailing you, left, right and centre as "the coolest mutha ****er on the planet" you must be doing something right. However, quite where this title has come from is a mystery on hearing Danko Jones' latest effort 'Sleep Is The Enemy'. The whole thing seems to have spawned from a bad experience with the opposite sex and so there are many songs like 'Baby Hates Me' involving cliched lyrics and music that doesn't take you anywhere unexpected. Ever. As the average sounding riffs-by-numbers fade into the background, you're never able to fully ignore the song as the annoying lyrics "Bay-bee, I know you hate me" scratch their way back.

'Sticky Situation' is of a similar ilk, still in woman-hating mode, Danko screams "she sees you with another, it tears her heart out, you can't be bothered". The final straw is 'The Finger', a song about well, making a rude gesture at your ex who's been caught cheating. Aggressively barked vocals do nothin to shake up this boredom-inducing track, each word of "now I give you the finger" punctuated with an almightly power chord and culminating in a strangled yell. Quite what kind of lady Danko is hoping to attract with Invisable is unclear, but if the lines "I'd crash my car just for you, burn my house down just for you, rip my nuts off just for you" appeal, then you know who to call. The song is made all the more cringy by the Axl Rose style sneering vocal and the abundance of "Yeah! Alright! Woo! C'mons".

Title track 'Sleep Is The Enemy' hits the ground running and continues at full pelt as instruments compete to overtake each other. A chunky bite-sized riff lashes out here and there as Danko hisses "Sleeeeeep" in an over the top cartoon like voice. Just as in Australian soaps, the characters, however livid, never allow themselves any more than a 'rack off', Danko also seems to have been implanted with a censor-chip. There's only so many of his squealed 'scrw that' and 'cut the craps' you can take before you're thinking for ****'s sake, just swear properly.
Admittedly, there are a couple of high points such as 'When Will I See You Again' which sees Danko in a more contemplative and vulnerable mode. Stepping out from behind his bravado, the vocal is softer and more listenable. There is still the odd strained shout but this is overridden by a chorus that is, in all honesty, brilliantly melodic.

Anti-romance anthem 'Don't Fall In Love' is also more than worthy of a listen with its scuzzy off-key riff, pleasantly juxtaposed with a sunny Beach Boys style hand-clapped chorus. However, with everything else to wade through, there nearly isn't the energy or inclination to bother with them. This is all capped of with the ahem, bonus song 'Shoose Me' which begins with a melodramatic countdown from ten to one, over spiralling guitars.....No...can't....take.....any...more.