Mickey out of Chicago wants to be dangerous rock n roll, but it comes across more like T-Birds rather than the Sharks or Jets. There’s a little too much Poison and not enough Dwarves for my tastes, but if you separate expectation of genre from what you’re actually hearing, there’s actually a good collection of party rock tunes. Gritty glam for people who like garage rock but don’t have the time to dig deeper than Harlem and The White Stripes, who ironically probably won’t buy this record.

Mickey’s five member Circus Maximus is lead by Mac Blackout of Functional Blackouts and Daily Void, both far dirtier than the sound here, but similar enough that though there may be a neat part in its hair, you’re more likely to find a switchblade than a comb in its back pocket.

The six songs on this EP are about partying and living a hearty life. The lead song “Electric Dreams” opens with an immediately catchy riff that’s filled in by a hip-thrusting ass shaking rhythm section. It’s a great slightly surreal piece that sets up the rest of the record fusing elements of hair metal (yes) and punk (yes) and garage rock (yes) into a package which isn’t new at all, but trades on the familiar to create an immediate connection between the listener and the band.

By the time the third song, “Love Letter” rolls around, I can’t help but thinking that this record is a poor substitute for what must be an amazingly fun live show. “Love Letter” is as tender as a slap in the face, but as fun as what you did to deserve it.

The flip opens with their most complex song the four-minute epic “Postmodern Human Primitive” a fiery blues inspired thrashing spewing more toxicity than GG Allinzilla after a four day Tokyo bender.

The final song, “I Loved You” shows a more human side than the previous songs, “I love you / I laughed I cried, I love you, I ran and I cried” but underneath it, there’s still the roiling intensity of the five previous tracks. It’s bit like a monster wearing a human being mask to sneak its way into your house before you flip the record back over.

This record is available from FDH records for $12. It’s limited to 500 units with a die-cut rose cover that is kind of gorgeous kind of cheesy, but acts as a wonderful summation of this record. GET. THIS. NOW.