XXX

From the sounds of XXX, Italian alternative rockers Negrita take influence from both grunge and Hootie and the Blowfish. "...E Intanto il Tempo Passa" kicks things off with a Silverchair guitar sound and impassioned vocals from lead singer Pau. From there, things get weird when on "In un Mare Di Noia" they deliver a straight up country rocker with a strong mid-90's vibe. The album rides the fence like this throughout, which actually brings the sound very close to Soul Asylum's transitional Grave Dancer's Union. Where that album was shedding their punk-pop skin for country rock, this one is doing the same with thick grunge. The songs are actually quite solid, and Pau has an expressive voice that is passionate without spilling over into Darius Rucker ridiculousness. Overall this is a great rock record that should appeal to any fan of mainstream rock music from the mid-90's. ~ Bradley Torreano