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The Knuckle-Draggin' Riffs Of Endless Boogie

Endless Boogie.
Courtesy of the artist
Endless Boogie.

What is endless? The Universe (theoretically). Summer. Swimming pools. Shrimp. These are all well and good, but what of riffs? Is there is a band for which the riff cannot be confined to a single hook? A band for which three-minute songs are an insult to said riff? A band with riffs so repetitively, knuckle-draggingly dumb that it has to be some kind of genius? Yes, that band is Endless Boogie. And this here is the proof: a chooglin' 13-minute track, "The Savagist." Strap in, let's ride.

On Long Island, the New York City band's third widely-available long-player, not much, thank Endless Mike, has changed with Endless Boogie. "The Savagist" has the kind of boozy blues riff that sounds like boots sucking up mud on the way to the corner store for a pack of cigs: Steady and determined, a hypnotic thud clapping the sides of thrifted JBL speakers. With three guitarists (Chavez's Matt Sweeney now included), the scorched guitar solos weave in and out more than the mesh on a Foghat ... hat. Oh, and who knows what the hell Paul Major is grunting about — some girl with wide lips is all I can gather.

Long Island comes out Feb. 19 on No Quarter. Need more Boogie? The band recently played a three-hour set on WFMU.

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