The Love Me Nots: Detroit (Atomic a Go Go), @ Club Congress Friday 8/1

[Weekly Rhythm and Views]

On Detroit, the Love Me Nots pick up right where they left off on their 2007 debut CD, In Black and White. And that, garage rockers, is a damn fine place. The stylish four-piece from Phoenix showed themselves to be contenders right away, a band with the chops, songs, energy and sex appeal to play on the national stage.

The Love Me Nots did the right thing for both releases—they went to Detroit and recorded with Jim Diamond in his famous, all-analog Ghetto Recorders studio. Something of a Mecca for contemporary garage rock, Diamond there has recorded records for the Gore Gore Girls, Mooney Suzuki, the White Stripes, the Dirtbombs and more. Like its predecessor, Detroit benefits greatly from Diamond’s huge, warm analog sound.

With this 21st-century update of early, classic American garage rock, the Love Me Nots play music that anyone who loved ? and the Mysterians, Link Wray and the Standells can relate to.

Nicole Laurenne’s sultry voice, Farfisa organ and go-go boots are front and center, but all the Love Me Nots pull equal weight. Check out “Treat Him Good,” “You’re Really Something” or “I’m the One” to see what they do especially well—midtempo, big-beat, slightly menacing numbers powered by Michael Johnny Walker’s fuzzed-out guitar and Laurenne’s pumping organ. In a word: rocking.

--Carl Hanni

The Love Me Nots perform at a CD-release party at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1. The Mission Creeps and the Woolly Bandits also perform; $5; 622-8848.