NRBQ, Keep This Love Goin’

By Danny R. Phillips

NRBQ is the beast that refuses to die. Formed in the ’60s by Terry Adams, the band has been making good ol’ bar party music ever since, despite numerous lineup changes, a bout with throat cancer, changing times, and changing flavors. With Keep This Love Goin’ NRBQ are back doing the same as they always have, and that’s just fine.

The band explore many different roads on this new record, whether it’s the totally infectious homage to zydeco royalty Boozoo Chavis (“Boozoo and Leona”), the gospel infused piano chords of the album’s title track, or the back beats and beautiful vocal work permeating “Love,” reminding me both of the Beach Boys pre-Brian Wilson insanity and early Beatles.

Everything from the NRBQ M.O. is brought out for Keep This Love Goin’ whether its rockabilly, boogie woogie, torch song style jazz, or straight-up, in-your-face honky tonk, Terry Adams (who had disbanded the original NRBQ in 2004 after a stage four throat cancer diagnosis), Scott Lignon, Pete Donnelly, and Conrad Choucroun make music that is undeniably their own. They take all the musical waters that they have bathed in and made a record that you can feel in your bones and in your feet.

NRBQ is back and just in time for the heat of summer party season. It’s time to dance, folks.

Keep This Love Goin’ was released on July 19 via Clang! Records. For more info and tour dates, check out the NRBQ website.