Middle Class Rut - No Name No Color

It is a true rarity when I discover a band on mainstream radio, and I like their sound so much that I am compelled to purchase their compact disc (a dying medium in this day and age) and listen to it all the way through.  I'm glad this band is so worthy of that rarity...

Hailing from Sacramento, CA, Middle Class Rut is made up of two men: vocalist/guitarist Zach Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham.  Formed from the ashes of the late 90's band Leisure, the duo have been playing as MC Rut since 2006, releasing several 7" and EPs throughout their career.  "No Name No Color," released in October 2010, is their first full length record and proves to bring an innovative wave of assault into a lackluster modern music scene.

From start to finish, "No Name No Color" display's MC Rut's total ability of surviving on the bare minimum.  The first track "Busy Bein' Born," which was also the title track off their 2008 EP, crescendos into a world of newfound power through its crunching guitars and deep drums.  Musically, the duo show true versatility in their use of only guitar and drums.  Lopez is able to generate a wide range of distortion, melody and effects similar to that of Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello.  Some might think that there's a bass on a few tracks, but don't be fooled - it's all guitar.  Stockham utilizes various tones of drums on each track, but manages to keep every beat simple while belting out a strong vocal performance.  Together, the band crafts a style that fuses indie rock, punk, blues, and even country into 54 minutes of angst and musical journey.  Faster tracks such as "USA" and "Lifelong Dayshift" blast a sonic explosion that can compete with any indie-punk band, while slower and heavier tracks like "Sad to Know" generate a wall of sheer force not to be reckoned with.  Lopez and Stockham's combined vocals create a rugged yet tightly woven harmony of signing and shouting, resembling that of Sparta and 30 Seconds to Mars.  Lopez's screaming over Stockham's melodic vocals leads many of the choruses throughout the album and is a tough one for many bands to achieve.  In some cases, Lopez and Stockham's lead vocal parts sound almost identical, as if they are the same person.  But perhaps that's the whole point...

On the lyrical side, MC Rut lives up to it's name, exploring those deep dark issues that make the middle class tick: loss, depression, broken friendships, social separation, and political oppression.  The radio hit "New Low" might sound like the Pixies' "Where is My Mind" at first, but after a closer listen it walks into the lives of two men who are spiraling into an unknown black hole, one that they were led to through the mistakes of their past lives.  One of the more political songs "One Debt Away" delves into the decay of the American Dream, illustrating a society controlled by taxes and bills that essentially leads all people to "being glad to be home."  The track "Dead End" burns bridges with past friends and lovers, while the sludge rock anthem (and arguably the best track on the album) "Thought I Was" shouts of frustration and ultimately liberation from a world on autopilot.  The album closes with the tongue-in-cheek tune "Cornbread," a catchy come-on sung from the point of view of an outcast searching for his own identity.

Clearly, MC Rut have proven themselves on this record as a diverse yet simple duo of die-hard musicians that are not afraid to push themselves in any direction they choose.  They are an example of how less equals more.  It doesn't take three, four, or nine musicians to make a strong, emotionally charged record that can be recognized among the mainstream heavyweights.  In fact, the only criticism I have of this band is the question of whether they can pull of the same kind of sound on stage.  There are some songs that clearly require two, sometimes three guitars in order to generate the same effect, unless Zach Lopez is able to create multiple tones through his effects pedals.  I have yet to see these guys play live, but based on the sellout shows that they have been playing on their last two tours, I'm sure they are delivering a show that is unlike anyone else out there.  I will have to see it to believe it though...  Bottom line is that MC Rut are setting a new standard for rock music, and hopefully they will continue to expand the walls of sound they have already created (not to mention keep making great music for riding the slopes to).