It's Getting Late (​...​and More Songs About Werewolves)

You would think that a band as clever as the Fleshtones would realize if youre going to release your second album in a row with a title referencing werewolves, bringing it out the day after Halloween is a seriously wasted opportunity. This is one of the few missteps the Kings of Super Rock make on 2024s It’s Getting Late (…and More Songs About Werewolves), their first studio effort since 2020s Face of the Screaming Werewolf. Anyone who has been following the Fleshtones long history as one of Americas greatest real rock & roll bands knows what to expect from them, and once again they deliver with style, energy, street smarts, and wit. Along with a song about lycanthropism ("You Say You Dont Mind It," detailing the downsides of dating Larry Talbots daughter, though the title track could also apply if you use your imagination), the band delivers messages worth hearing about the advantages of partying hard ("Come on Everybody Getting High with You Baby Tonight"), the importance of perseverance ("Way of the World"), an iconic guitar effects pedal as a metaphor for good lovin ("Wah Wah Power"), the downsides of everyday life ("The Consequences"), and the ugly reality that opiates arent much fun when youre actually in pain ("Morphine Drip"). After more than four decades of record making, the Fleshtones know how to make their music connect in the studio, and working with producer and engineer Michael Giblin (who served the same duties on Face of the Screaming Werewolf), they deliver the grit that comes with being a legendary garage rock show band while adding just enough seasoning to give the music some personality that sets it apart from the many great LPs theyve already offered us. Keith Strengs vocals and guitar, Peter Zarembas vocals and keyboards, Ken Foxs bass, and Bill Milhizers drumming still lock together like a jigsaw puzzle, with even more enjoyable results. There are few bands that can cover Elton John, Johnny Rivers, and Lee Hazlewood and make all three sound like originals, but the Fleshtones do just that for "Empty Sky," "Love Me While You Can," and "The Hearse," making every track sound like a party waiting to break out in your living room. Why fight it? Crank up It’s Getting Late (…and More Songs About Werewolves), pour some drinks, and hit that dancefloor like you mean it -- tell Lon Chaney the news! ~ Mark Deming