Crimes of Passion

Reviewed by:
David Peisner

After their 1993 album, Sister Sweetly, became a staple of college dorm rooms, Big Head Todd & the Monsters seemed poised to bust out of the H.O.R.D.E. tour ghetto and into the mainstream. Then nothing. Although the Colorado band faded from the spotlight, the trio kept on keeping on: Their eighth record, Crimes of Passion, reveals a band that hasn’t strayed too far from its sturdy, blues-rock foundation. Brawny riff ’n’ roll stomps and pretty, pining ballads are the norm, though “Imaginary Ships” and “ICU” add some seductive R&B grooves to the mix. For better or worse, these guys rarely bother to mask their influences: On the Zep-like “Drought of 2013” and “Lost Astronaut Blues,” frontman Todd Park Mohr exhibits an uncanny ability to ape both Page and Plant at the same time, while the folksy “Peacemaker Blues” is neck-deep in Dylan, right down to Mohr’s nasally, curling vocals. Keyboards are surprisingly conspicuous throughout, lending an odd hue to the record that occasionally feels timeless but, just as often, really dated.