Welcome to the Best of New Orleans! Music Recommended 05 31 05

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MUSIC RECOMMENDED

05 31 05

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The Thieves

By Alex Rawls

This Oxford-by-way-of-Los Angeles trio puts a glam spin on 1970s hard rock. On its White Line EP from earlier this year and the upcoming Tales From the White Line (both on Liquor & Poker), the Thieves show a knack for blues-based, hard-rock riffs, though producer Chris Brown (Radiohead, Muse) keeps things from sounding retro. 'You Get it Easy' and the title cut recall the Cult's 'Love Removal Machine' more than anything by AC/DC, and like the Cult's take on hard rock, the Thieves perform it with style. They're not obsessed with heaviness -- at least not on the album -- though every song has an appealing, textured depth, and they all have legitimate hooks. There's a psychedelic edge to the band as well, most pronounced on the ballad 'My Old Mind' and 'It Still Goes On,' which has a 'Champagne Supernova'-like outro. Brothers Hal and Sam Stokes -- guitar and bass, respectively -- and drummer Jamie Dawson clearly love their old records, but they aren't trapped by them. Call club for cover.