Straight To It is a fitting title for the Zac Schulze Gang’s debut studio album: the trio doesn’t mess around with niceties, preferring to play the kind of blues-infused rock’n’roll that grabs your throat and doesn’t let go.
The blend of melody and muscle gives Straight To It a visceral kick. Branching away from the blues that provided the trio their initial inspiration, the Zac Schulze Gang open the album with “The Rocker,” whose breathless hooks almost feel like a rallying call, and sustain that energy through the blitzkrieg rush of “High Roller.” This hard edge is complemented by the bright power-pop of “Angeline” and “Betterland,” an alt-rock anthem that soars toward the skies. Even with these softer touches, the Zac Schulze Gang retains a rough-and-tumble attitude, sounding like descendants of the slash-and-burn menace of Dr. Feelgood and the fiery humanity of Rory Gallagher.
