All These Brilliant Things

Ariel Aparicio
Bully Records

With my desk always buried in CDs of dull dance music (I'm looking at you, Colton Ford) it's nice to get a reminder that the queers can rock out too. Ariel Aparicio isn't exactly the Great Cubano Hope of rock n' roll, but he's not too shabby either, and this album is a lot of fun. Drawing on a long list of influences that includes Zeppelin, Bowie, Iggy Pop and The Ramones, plus a dash of salsa, Aparicio turns out a foot stomping bar band sound: think thrashing guitars, passionate singing, and just enough grit to keep it from sounding like arena rock. It's not the most original stuff you'll ever hear, but who cares when the hooks are this good? High points include the driving "Life and Times" with screaming vocals and subtle harmonies over insistent guitars, the bouncy chorus of "New World," and the punky "Jameson and Cocaine." A sprinkling of ballads bring the mood down a notch too low for my taste, but soon enough Aparicio has you back on the dance floor.