Self-released

Rocksteady, the ninth CD from Colorado’s Big Head Todd & The Monsters might not be the CD that puts the band back on the charts and radio airwaves of its early nineties heyday. The album’s soul/Caribbean vibe is a far-reaching deviation from its blues-rock sound. The title track aims at Jamacian dance hall but lacks the requisite soul. The mellow, low-end rumble of opener “Fake Diamond Kind” and the melodic soft-pop of “After Gold” are the only songs that stand up amongst this bands impressive cannon. They connect on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lighting,” thanks to thumping rhythm and thick swells of keyboards and horns. Expect a guitar and blues driven BHT&Ms release, which hopefully once again garnishes this great band with airplay and sales success, in 2011.