DIRTY STREETS’ interview with the Memphis Flyer

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For the past eight years, Dirty Streets have been carving out a niche as one of the most reliable rock bands in Memphis. Once again working with Alive Naturalsound records and Matt Qualls (the Memphis engineer who worked at Ardent in addition to running Brass Tacks Audio), Dirty Streets have honed their James Gang-meet-Blue Cheer sound into their most cohesive album yet with White Horse, and rock critics from all around the country are taking notice. Singer and guitarist Justin Toland sat down with me the week before the White Horse record release show at the Hi-Tone to tell me more about working with Alive records, his thoughts on being a Memphis band, and what exactly the White Horse means to him – READ THE INTERVIEW HERE

DIRTY STREETS’ White Horse : MOTIF’s album of the week

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Everyone wants to talk about what’s happening in Nashville. But what about that other city in Tennessee? What about Memphis? With a long history of blues and soul music, The River City has been a hive for fantastic rock ‘n’ roll that’s still alive and well today. With a Motown vibe, hints of funk and a whole lot of groove, Dirty Streets call Memphis home and they have a sound that’ll get you hooked like a fish on a line. Their fourth full length, White Horse, is currently out and it brings a vintage power that’s reminiscent of every awesome rock ‘n’ roll band you’ve ever heard.

There’s an old-school feel with Dirty Streets; their melodies and rhythms give me visions of The Guess Who, The Allman Brothers and James Gang. That’s not a bad trio to be compared to, right? Frontman Justin Toland’s voice harks back to the bravado of The Guess Who’s Burton Cummings, their psychedelic tendencies and riffs are evocative of late ’60s Allman Brothers and the sheer rawness of it all definitely brings the styles of James Gang to mind. This trio has a ton of boogie with the way they play, and you’ll notice it from the get-go once you give White Horse a listen. – Rob Duguay / READ MORE ON THE MOTIF SITE

8/10 review of DIRTY STREETS “White Horse” from CLASSIC ROCK magazine

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Memphis power trio’s heavyweight fourth album.

Still in their 20s but sounding decades older, Dirty Streets have been making a name for themselves since 2009’s Portrait Of A Man.

Where 2013’s Blades Of Grass married Blue Cheer, Humble Pie and RL Burnside’s hill country crank, their latest is boosted by further rich strains, such as Creedence primitivism or acoustic southern rock.

The monolithic riffage and Justin Toland’s assured vocals on behemoths such as Looking For My Peace and Good Pills show that when it comes to taking volcanic early-70s-style blues rock to modern times, Dirty Streets are now furlongs ahead. – Kris Needs / CLASSIC ROCK
FINAL VERDICT: 8/10
Dirty Streets Classic Rock review