Slow Burning Car ~ Vol. 2: The Scattering (album review) ... For all your favorite songs from Dune & Battlestar Galactica!

Style: alt rock, hard rock
Label: self-released
Year: 2009
Home: Los Angeles, California

Members: Troy Spiropoulos ~ vocals/guitar/bass/keyboards/drums
Duc "Jimmy" Le, Burt Malcuit ~ lead guitar
Victor Bishop ~ keyboards/vocals
Mike Zimmerman ~ drums/b. vocals
Sheila McSherry, Krista Ray ~ vocals

So many bands try to be lyrically interesting or ironic, with the one off joke usually wearing off fast as its all about a cute turn of phrase that makes for a radio-friendly hit & a boring album. SBC actually have a lyrically tight & musically diverse album that's fun & interesting, that gives up the fun phrase for just painting little vignettes that have so much more life. Songs from the point of view of God ("Adama", though I've seen it suggested this is about Battlestar Galactica but it seems too theological to match what I've seen of the show) & Dune's Duncan Idaho ("Ghola") ... you know the sci-fi movie/book, which is a favorite of mine ... ancient gods ("Zeus", "Siren"), Homeland Security & international oil-led affairs ("Blowback"), drugged out life ("In These Trees", "Harum Scarum"), love ("Marry Me", "Man In Crisis") & bad friendships ("Call My Bluff"), changing days ("First Class") & just meandering thoughts we all tend to occasionally have or should have ("Fabian's Stroll"). It's a scattering of little worlds over a rather straight forward churning rock background of guitars & keyboards that's neither hard rock nor alt rock & might have more in common with a generic party band than a band reaching for a particular genre. Alongside the fun lyrics there is some fun musical variation. While many songs might be more straight ahead rock, "Blowback" takes the Red Hot Chili Peppers rap approach to good effect. The Batman Theme is recalled for "Harum Scarum" & the girls get a lead vocal spot for the overly cock rock Girlschool-esque "Man In Crisis" with a tinkling Asian sounding guitar solo. SBC are a fun little band well worth checking out. This is, obviously, their second album album & a third has since been released of the same comedic cultural flair.