Other Ways of Speaking

There's a temptation to judge 30 Odd Foot Grunts harshly, given that Russell Crowe's talent as a singer falls far short of his acumen as an actor. But that isn't entirely fair. Veering somewhere between David Bowie and Chris Isaak, Crowe's rough but nuanced voice provides a perfectly good vehicle for these vignettes of dashed love and struggle. Erring a bit on the wordy side, with choruses that ramble, the songs are rescued by solid and often adventurous musicianship. Often a nasty snarling guitar asserts its splendidly ugly head, reminding one of nothing so much as the menace of vintage ZZ Top. The oddly named ensemble is best served by more raucous numbers in which the players sound like early '80s pub rockers on a loon. Unselfconsciously retro, the band is full of attitude and sass, but that all dissipates on maudlin songs like the self-absorbed "Unfaithful Man" and the wooden and clichéd "Full Length of the River." Chrissie Hynde adds some class when she duets with Crowe on the conflicted love song, "Never Be Alone Again." --Jaan Uhelszki