The Old Haunts - Poisonous Times

I can see most reviews of The Old Haunts Poisonous Times touching on one or more of the following: A) The writer will tip the Gun Club and say something about vocalist/guitarist Craig Extine channeling Jeffrey Lee Pierce. B) The writer will make a big stretch and make some kind of witless White Stripes analogy based on Extine's voice. C) They'll tip drummer Tobi Vail's old band (Bikini Kill), then mention the Gun Club and the White Stripes. Me? I'm gonna say that it's a safe bet that Extine owns a couple of Gun Club discs and maybe some X albums, and yeah I could see the White Stripes thing...kinda, sorta...but that I hear more of that Johnny Thunders, You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory slur in songs like Hurricane Eyes and In Revolt. That and almost all the songs, while not sounding like Elliot Smith, have that dark, melancholy yet strangely hopeful vibe that I associate with his stuff. A good thing I think.

The Old Haunts @ MySpace