The Mockers - The Lonesome Death Of Electric Campfire (2006)

To The Mockers, The Lonesome Death of Electric Campfire isn’t just an album title, it’s a statement of purpose, a call to arms. Because after two albums filled with wonderfully melodic power pop tunes, The Mockers were wary of falling into that familiar musical trap they call “electric campfire” music—in other words “Kumbaya” with Rickenbackers. And on their brand new album, they make their intentions perfectly clear, from the machine gun blast snare drum in the opening track Real Enough For Me, or the neo-post-modern-garage-thrash of Doin’ Time, to the proto-punk horn section of their anti-Bush anthem The Emperor Strikes Out and finally to the pounding glam-rock of Mola, Guay, Ok (which, by the way, are two Spanish words for “cool”). Bottom line, this is a rock and roll record. Sure, there are still plenty of the hooks these guys are famous for, but at the same time, they didn’t forget the excitement and crunch that fans of their live shows have been hearing for years. A jingle jangle mourning indeed.

Both of the Mockers previous albums, particularly the Mitch Easter produced Living in the Holland Tunnel, got tons of great reviews—including a pick in Billboard's Critics' Choice Poll --the only indie in a list filled with the usual major label product. But their favorite review is from the Phoenix New Times--"As thrilling as seeing Keith Moon kick over his kit or Ray Davies punch his brother Dave in the mouth. Yeah, it's that good."

In addition to getting fantastic reviews, The Mockers have been featured by Little Steven Van Zandt on his nationally syndicated radio show, The Underground Garage. And a bonus track on the Spanish release of Holland Tunnel, a cover of the classic Spanish song Dejame, was a massive Top 40 radio hit there and was also the theme song to the Disney/Buena Vista hit film La Fiesta.