Tango Down Damage Control

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by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

The sophomore effort from Tango Down is a step in a sonically rougher direction, and that’s a great thing. Their debut, Take 1, was overly-polished, and part of that reason (besides pristine production efforts) was because of former frontman Phil Naro. If you’ve heard Naro, you know he’s a massive talent, but also, he doesn’t just sing … he vocally glides. His smooth-as-hell style is better suited to a more Classic Rock format, like Cheap Trick, and this time out on Damage Control, Tango Down is bringing the heat. So, in steps the new voice of Tango Down, Alex Barbieri, and he conveys a lot more sleaze and grit to parallel the band’s heavier direction.

Damage Control’s opener is “Empty Hole,” and it takes about one second of guitarist Scott Miller’s (Adriangale) riffing to understand they took some musical HGH this time out. Barbieri slays on the chorus, “I’m gonna run you through, I might take from you, I’m gonna make you mine … I’m gonna take it!” With mammoth backing vocals and a searing guitar solo, “Empty Hole” is an eye-opener.

“I Can’t Wait” will remind fans of Firehouse mixed with a little Skid Row. They have a bit of a formula down—keep it around 3-4 minutes, make it radio friendly, and make it memorable with the lyrics and melodies.

When Tango Down played at Dakota Rock Fest recently, they opened their set with “All Fall Down.” It’s got the kind of grind that works well in a strip bar, a pummeling rhythm with sing-song lyrics like, “Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies, singing ashes ashes, all fall down!” The sleaze drips from Barbieri’s vocals, and the band even does a bit of a shout-out to Judas Priest on the “Turbo Lover” like passage, “You don’t see me, but you’ll feel me around …” Besides the semi-goofy lyrics, it’s another killer composition.

“I’m Done Lovin’ You” is one of those perfect Hard Rock songs, a track that should be spun on any Rock station around the nation. Knowing that won’t happen because radio is dead and convulsing, it’s unfortunate thousands may not have the opportunity to hear how stellar this Ratt and Firehouse-like anthem truly is.

Out of all the covers you’d think Tango Down would tackle, a John Waite track probably isn’t mentioned in the narrative. But they do cover “Change,” and inject with enough steroids to harden it while keeping the sensational melodies alive and pumping. Great cover …

The one time they sort of get back to a song you could have heard on Take 1 is “Radio.” This is sheer fun, a fast-paced pared down burner, reminiscent of Cheap Trick. In fact, it’s got a little Ramones in it with the simple punk-infused gang vocal shouts. “I just can’t stay here long without my radio on, cuz I really want it, I really want now!”

If you are looking for that “ballad,” it raises its head on “The Light.” After all the high-energy tracks before, Barbieri sounds a little breathy during the verses, although he strengthens during the chorus.

The best slow-paced song is “Intoxicated.” It’s not really a ballad, but an acoustic song, complex and almost Beatles-esque. The two-part harmonies draw you in on the verses, and chorus is pretty heady for a song about boozing. “Intoxicated … never want to feel this way again. I’m slowly fading, fading into someone else’s head.” You will dig this mellow song as much as the heavier ones like “Empty Hole.”

Tango Down hasn’t let any of their fans down on Damage Control, unless the lovely lass on the cover is a huge Naro fan and is taking gas and a sledgehammer to the band’s car (and those inside) in protest. They still have the sticky pop Rock songs, but their heavier songs work better with Barbieri’s vocals. All in all, it’s time for you to get damaged, in a controlled way, of course …

Label: Kivel Records

Online: www.myspace.com/tangodown

Track listing:
1. Empty Hole
2. I Can’t Wait
3. All Fall Down
4. I’m Done Lovin’ You
5. Change
6. Step By Step
7. Radio
8. The Light
9. Waiting for You
10. I Wanna
11. Intoxicated

HRH Rating: 8.1/10