My previous description of a Bob Mould-fronted Cult stands. Ivan Beecroft has a supple baritone with just the right amount of jagged edge. His guitar work is anthemic and throbbing. His songs sound very much like repeated attempts to punch through a wall--with hooks.

Ivan Beecroft iars, Freaks & Fools (self-released)

He hails from Melbourne (Victoria, not Florida), which explains some of this. Rock seems to still have a foothold in mainstream Australian music. It's fully underground here in the States, though that development has allowed it to evolve in some truly exciting ways. But I certainly don't mind hearing someone churn out a fine batch of bash-and-pop.

If you pine for AC/DC, the Replacements, Cheap Trick, the fine folks I listed above, etc., Beecroft will satisfy. He's not reinventing anything, but he's not cribbing, either. This is the second set I've gotten from him (I still listen to 2017's Whatever with some frequency), and I don't think evolution is his gig. With writing and playing chops like his, that's not a concern.

Like I said a couple of years ago, this is what it is: workmanlike rock played with style and sung with more than a hint of menace. This sucker is perfect for shredding the cones on your Sparkomatic 6x9s. Play it loud. Play it often. Be happy.

Jon Worley