Alive as Fuck: Masonic Lodge, Covington, KY

If you want to know if a band really has the goods, one of the best tests is to simply have them set up in front of an audience and see if they can make the crowd move. After making a pair of solid studio albums, the Black Diamond Heavies demonstrate that they're just as good (actually, even better) laying out their high-test and hot-wired blues-rock in front of a roomful of fans on this set recorded during a gig in Covington, KY. Alive as Fuck easily lives up to its name, and if musically this doesn't add much at all to the formula this band staked out with their studio work, the sweat-soaked intensity of these performances seriously ups the ante in terms of energy and passion, and with this sort of music that makes a big difference. With just John Wesley Myers on keyboards and vocals, and Van Campbell on drums, the Black Diamond Heavies don't have much room to trick up their sound, and Alive as Fuck shows they don't need to -- the fuzzed-out blare of Myers' electric piano manages to cover the melodies with force and swagger, Campbell's splashy drumming fills up plenty of space while keeping the beat, and the rough, howling textures of Myers' vocals are tougher and more effective in a no-frills live setting. Johnny Walker and Reuben Glaser get this music down on tape with no fuss but plenty of presence, and if you ever wanted an inducement to check out the Black Diamond Heavies in person, Alive as Fuck makes it clear that a furiously rowdy good time is guaranteed with the price of admission, and until the band shows up in your town, this album will tide you over. ~ Mark Deming