Sultans frontman John Reis must have mixed a few drinks in his time. But none of them could possibly be more powerful and intoxicating as a mix of his other bands Rocket From the Crypt and The Hot Snakes put together, formulating and yielding a band called The Sultans. The Sultans trio consists of Speedo (a.k.a. John Reis), Black Velvet (a.k.a. Dean Reis) and Tony DiPrima.

The second album by The Sultans, titled Shipwrecked, is laced with views on their troubled relationships. "Regret" is cool and distant, with piercing lyrics: "Now we both got something special/ if you can't find love you'll fall into regret." Happiness and hopefulness is not part of this album's foundation. It isn't a mere sad "I miss you" sort of thing either — it's a reflective look at times when you might say, "This ain't working," and "this is why."

Reis's disposition and lyrics throughout the album are spacious yet intimate, chilled yet intense, extroverted yet introspective.

Shipwrecked is the perfect soundtrack to your post-breakup life: 14 songs about heartache, shame, trying to move on, regrets and just plain old hate. (And by the by, hate has never sounded as good as this.)

But hey, if you're not in the mood to dwell on your break-up, this record doubles as a great summer album, or listening for when you're behind the wheel of your car. Driving down a long desert highway, nodding your head to the beats, tapping your feet, sometimes singing, sometimes contemplating the lyrics that drift through your ears and into your subconscious. And as you glance out your window, looking out at the environment that surrounds you, your eyes will glaze, because you've never enjoyed a drive through the desert as much as this.

Besides, you never liked her that much anyway.

Similar albums:
Rocket From the Crypt - RFTC
The Supersuckers - Sacrilicious
The New Bomb Turks - Destroy, Oh Boy!


Ayn Averett
05.14.2004