Trews

Despite only having one stylistic gear (hint: it’s the one labelled "rockin’!”), the Trews’ 2003 debut became quite the little big deal, spinning off four charting singles on its way to gold status and a treasured place between Fully Completely and Shakespeare My Butt in freshman dorms from UBC to Dalhousie. Catchy enough to be hummed by frat dudes and indie purists in need of a guilty pleasure, their ragged three-chord ditties are destined to soundtrack the beer commercials of current and future generations; the ideal backing track for summer nights of beer-drinkin’ and hell-raisin’. The quartet’s sophomore disc — recorded under the guidance of Jack Douglas, who’s been serving up stick-to-your-ribs rock records for Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Rick Derringer for years — thankfully doesn’t tinker with that winning formula. Den of Thieves delivers 14 friendly, familiar-sounding gutbucket rock numbers that sustain a pleasant rough and tumble backyard BBQ vibe for the better part of an hour, with the uplifting pop/rock of "Sunshine” and the gang shouts and brawny riffs of "So She’s Leaving” standing out the most from an agreeable, albeit nondescript, clutch of tunes. Hey man, if it ain’t broke...