The Nuclears “The Nuclears” 2011. MegaPlatinum Records. We caught Brooklyn, NY-based The Nuclears this past weekend at our annual neighborhood street party, Bay View Bash and the band was the perfect choice for a gorgeous late-summer afternoon party on the RushMor Records stage. The Nuclears epitomize what good-time rock-n-roll should always be: non-stop pounding danceable beats, loud guitars, tons of stage posturing and lyrics that generally make you want to get down and party. (For example, from The Nuclears: “Get Up!” has the chorus “Oh yeah! Here’s your favorite song and if you know the words, baby, Why dontcha sing along” and “Fast Cars & Loud Guitars” – “I got American muscle, got American speed. I got American rhythm and American lead”). The Nuclears channeled the spirit of The Ramones, KISS and New York Dolls – their stated influences are the Hellacopters, Blue Oyster Cult, Radio Birdman, Judas Priest, the Beatles, Turbonegro and MC5 – with down-and dirty rock. Their line-up has changed a bit since The Nuclears, their first full-length album, with the addition of Briana Layon on vocals (she is a fiercely fantastic front-woman) and a change of drummers.

Despite the lack of Briana on the album, it’s still a great listen. My top tracks, besides the party anthem “Get Up!” are “Pay Yer Dues,” the opening track, an excellent ass-shaker, the punk’d “Get Me Outta Here,” the guitar solo on “Eclipso” and closing track which kinda sums up the band’s philosophy “Rock & Roll Riot.”