X

Exemplary regional rock heroes Mooi Wark's X confirms that they won't win any new worldwide fans with their musical innovations, but they also waste no time showcasing how little they care, kicking off the record with as fine a Dutch-language impression of AC/DC as can be hoped for. Generally, they are more laid-back and nowhere near as sleazy as the Young brothers and their gang, but still, the link is there: in the gloriously simple, happy-go-lucky riffs drenched in blues and topped with guitar licks with "Roy Orbison" stamped all over them. Admittedly, though, Mooi Wark's influences never dabbled in country as much as these fellows do on tunes like "Sinds Jij in Mien Leven Bent," but the transition feels natural, or at least justified, especially since they also enjoy an occasional plunge into what sounds like a rock rendition of some Central European drinking song, only to switch back again to rustic glam rock, complete with a midtempo guitar gallop straight out of the T. Rex playbook. The amusing stylistic romp continues throughout the album, but never stops making sense — the country tunes, for example, are just a replacement for regular ballads, and generally, Mooi Wark simply use any shred of any styles that sounds good-natured and uptempo enough, and can be utilized in a rock & roll setup. "Old-fashioned" doesn't even begin to cut it — the band was formed in 1992, but the bandmembers sound as if they've been plying their wares a for at least a couple of decades. Their music has next to no power by modern hard rock standards, but at least the group knows exactly where its groove lies, and nails it like no one's business.