Album Review: The Ferocious Few – Juices

How long has it been since you last listened to a good goddam, Sweet Jesus, Lord have mercy on my soul rock & roll record? A record so filthy you need a shower after it’s done? A record so badass it leaves you breathless and exhausted at the same time? Can’t remember? It had been quite a while for me, and then I found The Ferocious Few and their record Juices, and surrendered myself to the raw, unholy, heavenly pure rock & roll therein.

The Ferocious Few is but two: Francisco Fernandez who supplies the guitars and vocals, and Daniel Aguilar who bangs the drums. These two can make a magnificent mess on their own, thank you very much extraneous band members. Juices is one hell of a rock record, coated in nasty, raunchy blues and pulsating with reckless abandon at every turn. “Gasoline & Cocaine” offers just a taste of what Fernandez and Aguilar have to offer, that being drums hell-bent on destruction and explosive guitar providing the backdrop for Fernandez’s snarling, sneeringly sullied voice.

“Me And The Devil” is one of my favorites, Fernandez’s voice reaching ungodly levels of unrepentant wickedness and his guitar not far behind. When Aguilar chimes in with his brash drum bashing, it all comes together with perfect hail and brimstone. Fernandez’s voice sounds coated with cheap whiskey and expensive regret on “Cryin Shame”, one of several slow-motion songs among the many hellraisers to be found on Juices. Another of my favorites, “Lord Oh Lord”, is absolutely exquisite, dusty and world-weary and reminding me ever so slightly of Skynyrd, with Fernandez channeling the late great Ronnie Van Zant vocally and lyrically.

It sounds like absolute chaos is but a note or two away, and yet The Ferocious Few keeps themselves on just the right side of oblivion. This is the good stuff, kids. These boys aren’t just whistlin’ Dixie. They’re as real as the day is long, and the days they’re getting pretty goddam long.

mp3: Lord Oh Lord (The Ferocious Few from Juices)