I know this much is Trew
The Trews
Den Of Thieves
(Epic)
They don’t come with much less pretense than The Trews, who have a love for Train and The Black Crowes to go with a furious desire to be onstage.
Den Of Thieves plays out like a victory party, and as much as this style of music fills no needs it’s impossible to deny the passion with which The Trews approach their craft. Yes it’s contrived (“Ishmael & Maggie” is a concert closer and strategic last track here), more than occasionally tracks like “So She’s Leaving” and “Poor Ol’ Brokenhearted Me” manage to bleach even the whitest blues licks, and as tough as they try to be (“I’ve been drinkin'”) you’ll never believe anyone but the Abercrombie crowd will take note. But, to paraphrase Full Metal Jacket, it’s got guts and guts is enough.
— Steve Forstneger
