…And now for a review of ‘85 Flood’s debut CD, “Toolshed Shangri-La” (sorry it took so long guys). Check ‘em out live at 123 Pleasant Street this Saturday night, June 14, and pick up a copy.

A shangri-la indeed.

The local band’s sound, dipped in the backwaters and small towns of West Virginia, sings ten tracks of love lost and hell raised. ‘85 Flood - made up of Aaron Hawley (guitar), Adam Van Scoy (guitar), Dusty Hays (bass), and Mike Deragon (drums) - brings a mix of high energy, rock guitar, bass licks, driving percussion and gritty vocals. But that’s just the crust. There’s plenty of funky beats and country melody throughout to fill the album.

The band describes itself as, “a cross between a hoe-down, a freight train, and a natural gas explosion,” with a myriad of influences including Bob Dylan, Rush, Pavement, Grateful Dead, Modest Mouse, Todd Burge, Phish, The Emergency, Led Zepplin, Hank Williams (I, II, and III), Liz Phair, The Jayhawks, Lucero, Mountain Goats and Counting Crows.

Nearly all of the album is fast paced (making dancing hard to resist) and opens with the charging “Ballfields and Cemeteries.” The momentum continues with “midnightbarfightlatenightalright,” a let loose, kick your a** track. The band then brings it down a notch with the mellow tune of “Goin’ Nowhere.” The pace rises again with the ripping guitar of “1,3,5,7,11, 23″ and introspective lyrics of “Same to Me.”

Whether at home or road trippin’ in the car, this album is a great addition to your summer tunes.