The League of One
Dispatch
(Lil Eve Records)

A “911, what’s your emergency?” opens The League of One’s latest album, Dispatch. Here we get the trio of Will Maeder, singing and playing guitar, The “Rev” on bass and backing vocals, and Billy Grant manning the drums, hitting straight and true. The trio is certainly influenced by lots of great heavy rockers gone before them.

That 911 shout out introduces the first tune, “Wax Museum,” a flick-a-flick kinetic attack, but for me, how the trio slowly rises to a found beat on the second tune, “Plastic Crack Head,” fares much better, revealing the inventiveness that is to be found across these ten songs.

We get more of that 911 vibe, this time the emergency operator talking through a missing person’s call on the song “Koolaid and Bug Burgers.” Maeder picks slowly, and The “Rev” leads on his bass; pretty cool stuff to be sure from these self-described “working stiffs.” And “Bic Blister” is a true blues bender, with Maeder talking his way through.

“Six,” the slowest tune here, has a slight (ever so slight that is) atonal thing going on that works amazingly well, building in intensity with overdubbed slide and picked guitar. Just when things get too hairy with Maeder’s noodlings he gets out, smartly not overstaying this solo piece’s welcome.

“Working Man’s Band” ends, Grant laying down a fun snappy beat, The “Rev,” chunking along and Maeder able to give forth on some loud noisy riffs, not to mention his best vocals, out of all these tunes. This is a great rockin’ fun tune, with a big power chord singable chorus, ending what I feel is a great rockin’ verstile collection from The League of One.