Vein of Pain

Another good'er from our neighbors to the south: San Diego's SLEEPWALKERS have finally released their debut CD, Can't Stop Rockin', after forming in 1993. The group comes from the rockabilly/blues/rock & roll tradition of such border-town predecessors as the Paladins, Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs, and Hot Rod Lincoln, but there's a stronger garage and Tex-Mex influence afoot. Which only makes sense, as Sleepwalkers' brain trust Johnny Valenzuela is a Mexican from Texas. Valenzuela is a very good singer and an even better front man; the group has power and intensity to burn. At times, the chops ain't all they might be, but since this album was recorded, the group has made a couple of personnel changes that relieved that problem (full disclosure: one of those changes was the addition of Jerry Rig on guitar, who also plays bass in my band). This is still good, solid, mean-assed rock & roll—and a promising debut album. Just don't forget which side yer bread's buttered on, Rig.