Modern Machines

Modern Machines are hardly the first young band to take early Replacements' drunk-punk and stumble with it. But while so many others have gotten the fucking-around part down pat, this Milwaukee quartet captures the melody and muscle as well. At eight tracks, Taco Blessing is more densely packed with lilting rave-ups, and more satisfying, than 2003's Thwap. The production is meatier, but not so expensive that the "duet" is actually sung as a duet. Songs about Mexican food are cranked with the same fervent riffs and yearning harmonies as the ones about heartbreak. And true to the spirit of Westerberg and his flanks, just when you think the album is seamless, Modern Machines throw in a tuneless clunker for the sake of contrast. Maybe there's nothing here that hasn't been done before, but there's plenty that hasn't been done enough.