Drifter – Head [2012; self-released]

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Five tracks of heavy desert rock from Australia, with the Drifter trio providing a rowdy blend of punkish guitar, thumping drums, and bumping bass-lines.  Things move fast, with just one of the songs breaking three minutes, and the rough-edged energy suits the style well.  As the band’s first release, it comes off nicely, excusing some of the faults and making the successful parts that much more impressive.  Unfortunately, it seems the band only released one album after this (so far, at least), but it’s still a treat for fans of obscure and well-played rock.